1st Test: We can’t use saliva, sweat doesn't serve purpose, says Jasprit Bumrah

Pacer Jasprit Bumrah says Indian bowlers are finding it tough to maintain the shine of the ball since sweat is not too effective, as England take command on Day One of first Test at Chennai

The ban on saliva turned out to be a handicap for the bowlers since the sweat was not effective to shine the ball, India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah said on Friday after England called the shots on the opening day of the series opener, here.

Skipper Joe Root’s unbeaten century in his 100th Test took England to 263-3 on a lifeless Chepauk track where the red SG Test lost its hardness after 40th over. 

“The ball did become soft after a while and the wicket is on flatter side with the bounce being less. You are left with limited options [to shine ball]. We are trying to figure out what we can do with the limited things in hand, at that time,” Bumrah said at the virtual media conference.

India’s most successful bowler on the day admitted that they found it difficult to maintain the ball as ICC has banned the use of saliva in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak.

“It becomes difficult when the ball becomes soft and doesn’t shine really well because of new COVID-19 rules, we can’t use saliva, very difficult during that time to maintain the ball,” Bumrah said.

He also explained that sweat, which is lighter than saliva, is not at all a good option to prepare the ball for reverse swing. “In India, the ball gets scuffed up easily. So to make the ball heavy, you have to shine one side sometimes, with sweat and it doesn’t really serve the purpose. You can’t make one side heavy with sweat and it doesn’t really work that way.

“But these are the rules and we have to make do with what we have at the moment,” said Bumrah.

The Chepauk wicket is certainly not bowling friendly, Bumrah lamented. “This is my first match here. The wicket was on the flatter side, with not much of of lateral movement. It was abrasive. We’re not trying to complain about the wicket but are trying to figure out the solutions. We are trying to look at options that are there in our hand and create as many chances as we can,” he said.

Questions being raised about the Indian team management for not including an attacking option like Kuldeep Yadav on a flat deck but Bumrah feels that a lot of things can be said in hindsight. “There could be a lot of ifs and buts but we back every individual in this team,” he said.

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