This coming discussion in the cricketing world has again seen legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar calling on the authorities to stop the practice of drink breaks that fast bowlers normally take during International cricket matches.
While secretly feeling that the authorities have their eyes closed to the matter, Gavaskar, who is rather assertive in his comments, believes that the current practice of the bowlers, particularly the fast bowlers, getting replenishing drinks stationed near the boundary rope as and when they pushed a new over to the batsmen is a blatant act of violation of the guidelines.
‘Why should there be drinks interval then if bowlers are going to fetch themselves water after going flat out for six balls?’ Mind you, the batsman also does not get an opportunity to get a sip after an over where he could have perhaps scored eight odd runs. ’ said the 75-year-old.
The former Indian captain, who many believe is one of the best to have ever graced a cricket field, has in the past proposed that the drinks break for bowlers be done away with, especially after the ICC annulled the rules that allowed batters to use runners.
Gavaskar opined that cricket is a game that demands endurance, and therefore, it should be taken back to the time when the teams could only take drinks every one hour of play and prior to that only with the permission of the captain of the rival team and the umpire.
Kohli opined that once the umpires initially turned a blind eye to it and allowed one bowler to do that, it became the norm and only made a mockery out of the drinks interval; the third umpire and the match referee must also make sure that the reserve/alternative player does not come on the field to give a drink to his teammate, but remains outside the pitch.
Drink breaks have been a regular topic in cricketing circles, and more so in light of Gavaskar’s comments, the subject is bound to set hearts racing.
It means that the simple approval of a legendary cricketer’s opinion can cause a non-superficial reflection of the existing systems and the introduction of measures that would prevent such acts of dishonesty in the future.
