Mohit Sharma welcomes use of saliva on the ball saying that it has definitely helped in getting the ball to reverse.
Mohit Sharma believes the use of saliva is 100% helping the ball reverse swing.
Giving the team bowling second the option to switch the ball after ten overs, whether or not there was dew, was another rule that was implemented in IPL. in is also “making a difference” for the bowlers.
When asked on the eve of DC’s next game, against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Delhi, if the use of saliva was making a difference, Mohit said: “100%. In 70% of the games, the ball is tailing in and it’s only because the saliva is heavy, and our sweat is not so heavy. If the ball is heavier on one side it will tail in. Right now, there’s not as much dew in most grounds to say that the wet ball is also reverse swing.”
Due to COVID-19, the ICC outlawed the use of saliva on the ball five years ago. Member boards at all cricket levels complied with this regulation. After most IPL captains demanded it, the IPL administrators altered the regulation to permit its use once more just before the current season began.
In order to counteract the effect of dew on the ball—a wet ball is more difficult to grip and control—they also instituted the regulation that allows the bowling captain to switch the ball during the second half of the chase. After the tenth over in the second innings, the bowling team may decide to switch the ball at any moment, regardless of whether there is dew or not.
“There’s help (after the ball is changed) and we saw it in the last game too,” Mohit said. “The first ball had been used for 12 overs and was a little wet because dew had started to settle in when our innings had ended. There was more dew in the second innings. And later the 13th or 14th over Karn bowled, the ball turned to Stubbs.
“So definitely the second ball, which is harder, makes a difference although by the 15th-16th over, the ball’s condition is like the first one. But being a bowler, 100% there’s a difference. Like if I’m bowling the 14th or 15th over after the ball change, I’ll be more confident of bowling a yorker because the ball is dry, it won’t slip.”