Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has urged the ICC to do away with the ban on usage of saliva to polish the ball in order to bring the reverse swing back into the play. Following the outbreak of Covid pandemic, ICC had banned the usage of saliva on ball, which limited bowler’s ability to generate swing. Due to this, bowlers have faced issues in getting the perfect swing. 

"We are trying [to get reverse swing], but the usage of saliva on the ball is not allowed. We keep appealing that we should be allowed to use saliva so that we can bring reverse swing back into the game and it becomes interesting,” Shami told media after India’s win over Australia. 

Currently, Mohammed Shami is participating in India’s campaign in the Champions Trophy. India have reached the final after registering victory over Australia in the semi-final. Shami recently made his return to action after remaining on the sidelines for more than a year due to an injury. 

Meanwhile, Shami’s views were backed by former New Zealand cricket Tim Southee. 

"That was a rule brought around Covid with the virus going around the world, but I think as a bowler, you want to have a slight advantage," Southee said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

”We see the game going the way it's going and seeing sides score 362 and more often than not over 300 in this format. I think there needs to be something in the bowlers' favour, and whether that's a little bit of saliva, then yeah, I don't see why they couldn't afford to get that back in."

Even, former South Africa bowler and great Vernon Philander echoed the same sentiments.

“If we look at the state of that ball, I mean towards the back end, it was really scuffed up, and I think had you used the saliva [to polish one side of the ball], the element of the reverse swing might have come into play. So it certainly does play a part. You can get it to shine up, and you use the elements to swing it a little longer,”  Philander said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. 

"I'd like to see that element being brought back into the game because I think it's needed as well. I mean, especially in ODI cricket where we see batters really dominating, especially when you play on surfaces like we've just seen in Pakistan as well where it's really batter friendly," he said.