new delhi: england cricketers David Mullan A bold proposal has sparked a new debate: to allow limited, controlled forms of ball-tampering in cricket. His idea is not to break the rules entirely, but to tweak them to make the game more balanced between bat and ball – especially in the modern format where batsmen dominate.Malan told the BBC’s Strategic Timeout podcast that ball-tampering has always existed in some form. He believes the sport should regulate it properly rather than pretend it doesn’t happen.
“Historically, in the game, people have been trying to tamper with the ball for years. You know it’s nothing new. I actually think you should legalize it, just like letting people catch the ball,” Malan said.At the same time, he clarified that there should be limits, adding, “Obviously, don’t bring things in from outside. But, that’s a skill in itself – getting the ball to swing in the opposite direction.”Malan’s main concern was how difficult it became for the bowlers, especially in the final overs of the game. The reverse swing was once a key weapon but has become rare due to strict rules, frequent pitch changes and golf course conditions that favor hitters.He believed that allowing slight, controlled changes to the ball could bring the reverse swing back into play. This, in turn, will make the game more competitive towards the end. “I think if you can reverse the ball, cricket becomes more friendly to the bowlers at the end of the day,” he explained.“I think it will make the game a lot tighter towards the end and not just win with six wickets.”For Malan, this isn’t a crazy idea, but a practical adjustment to accommodate the evolution of the game. As batsmen become more skilled and aggressive, bowlers need new ways to compete.He concluded: “Battsters are so skilled these days that if you can get any tactical advantage out of the ball, shape the ball a little bit, swing the ball in reverse, you want to do that to the best of your ability.”“If you can get the ball moving, it makes a big difference at death — which is the hardest pitch to throw,” he said.
