The Indian leg-spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal banning the use of saliva on the cricket ball will not only be a disadvantage for the fast bowlers but also for the spinners as they won’t be getting the required drift during middle overs. The ICC has banned the use of saliva on the ball as an interim health safety measure in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the decision hasn’t gone down well for the bowlers as it will make the game, even more, batting friendly.

During a chat with ESPNCricinfo, Chahal said, “When you use a natural element like saliva, it helps pacers with swing and spinners with the drift. If as a spinner, I cannot get drift in the middle overs, the batsmen will have it easy. This is something that will affect every bowler in the world. I will have to figure out a solution once I start bowling in the nets.”

The Indian leggie also reckons that the spinners also complement the pacers in shining the ball.

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Chahal added, “Spinners use saliva too to maintain the shine of the ball because we are aware that pacers will bowl after us or are bowling from the other end. Pacers also think the same way. When they see spinners coming, they refrain from shining the ball too much. This is how we plan things.”

Talking about his own game, Yuzvendra Chahal said a piece of advice from Harbhajan Singh during his first IPL stint at the Mumbai Indians has stayed with him forever.

Chahal recalled, “…Harbhajan Singh once told me – back your skills as a bowler. My strengths are varying my pace and beating the batsman in flight. I have seen a lot of spinners change their actions while bowling at the Chinnaswamy. I can sense their fear, I then tell this to the batsmen in my team so that they can attack him.”

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The wiry leg-spinner reckons that his attacking instincts are considered beneficial by both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

Chahal explained, “Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma, whoever the captain is, they want us to pick up wickets. Even if I concede 70 runs in my 10 overs but pick up three wickets in the middle overs, it will benefit the team. If there is a turn on offer, it becomes difficult to play spinners in the middle overs. We have always believed in going for wickets in the middle overs.”