Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has stated that using SG white balls gives bowlers more assistance and restores the balance between bat and ball as well. His comments came after the second T20I between India and West Indies, played in Ranchi on October 9 as well. On the back of Sanju Samson’s 82 off 41 balls, the hosts posted 249/5. In response, West Indies registered a six-wicket win, reaching the target in 18.3 overs, with captain Shai Hope smashing a brilliant unbeaten 102 off 45 balls, his second century in T20Is as well.
Speaking during a discussion on his YouTube channel (Ash ki Baat), he said: “The biggest culprit here is the ball itself, which has a very thin seam. I am saying this again: our SG white ball makes things very difficult for batters. It has a prominent seam, and the ball can behave differently at different speeds. So perhaps the time has come for us to try using the SG white ball in India. The SG white ball may not be ideal for producing big scores. It can make things very difficult for batters. Bowlers should get something out of the conditions as well.”
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“Along with the dew, one of the biggest culprits is the ball itself, so we should consider changing it. The Kookaburra Turf ball is manufactured for certain conditions. It is used in Australia, where dew is not a major factor. The ball is designed for conditions where there is little or no dew. So why not change the ball in India, where dew is such a major factor? Why not consider a different ball? Sri Lanka does not experience as much dew in these conditions, so the Kookaburra works there,” he further added.
However, Ravichandran Ashwin also added that while fans enjoy high-scoring matches, teams chasing down targets of 260-270 in the IPL over the past couple of years is not ideal as well.
“That is the only thing because, as I said about ODI cricket being a day game, I cannot make the same argument for T20 cricket because T20 cricket is largely about entertainment. People want to see big scores. But look at what we have seen over the last two years: teams chasing down 270 or even 260 in the IPL. That is not ideal. I think 180 or 190 makes for a good game. That is the kind of contest I want to see. Occasionally, scores of 200 or 220 are fine, but I believe bowlers should have something in their favour as well,” he concluded.
