Ever since my growing years of watching cricket, there has been one skill-set which sub-continent bowlers have taken a pride on.. the art of reverse swing. Remember, how Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, tormented batsmen during the 90’s era with their late in-swinging yorkers.
With the ability to swing the ball upfront with the new ball as well as at the end when the ball was old. Single handedly this acquired skill ensured that the Pakistani fast bowlers have an edge over their counterparts from around the world, who were starting to come to terms with this new arsennel. It is not suprising why the Pakistani fast bowlers during this period became the new king of swing.
Historically however, reverse swing existed from the late 70 era. Sarfraz Nawaz, the lanky fast bowler had stumbled upon this, by accident and passed on his knowledge to the great Imran Khan. Imran Khan through the 80 era perfected this art himself, and then later past it on to the two prodigies Wasim and Waqar. It is the duo of Wasim and Waqar and later on Aqib Javed(a highly underrated bowler at his time), who bamboozled batsmen with their new found skill of swinging the old ball, late. Its only much later on that Indian bowlers like Srinath and Zaheer started using this.
The skill lies in making the ball rough on one side, and adding saliva or sweat, to increase the weight on the one side, while keeping the other side shiny. However, with the current situation that we are now faced with, what will be the fate of reverse swing. Will it be a part of history, or will there be innovative use of rules to keep this skill alive.
Most bowlers and international bodies in cricket are picking their minds over, on how to go ahead with bowlers not being able to apply either saliva or sweat to the ball. There are discussions on this subject which is being dealt with at the highest level presently, with a meeting of ICC scheduled in mid May this year.
With the advancement of technology, the game has become more and more advantageous to the batsmen. So much so that some critics have referred cricket as a batsmens game. With bowlers not being able to shine the ball using conventional methods of shining the ball, it is highly unlikely that anology about cricket being a batsmens game will change anytime soon.
Imagine, what fast bowlers world over are going though now. With conventional swing and more so reverse swing possibly going out of the game, swing bowlers the world over need to come up with something so innovative that enables them to swing the ball, without risking the spread of infection.
Never has in the history of world cricket have we had such a crisis, that literally makes swing bowling a thing of the past.. a lost art. No longer will we see those banana inswinging yorkers or those outswingers which turn batsmens side on.
It will be an all time low for all cricket lovers, if swing bowling becomes an art lost in time. Perhaps, cricket administrators would need to address this issue, so that the art of swing bowling stays relevant and the game does not become one-sided, which no true cricket lover wants.
Legalizing ball tamper, making the seam more protruded or making one side of the ball heavy while keeping the other side lighter, are all suggestions which players, administrator and analysers world over are now mulling upon.
What do you think about it. What could we possibly do to keep reverse swing relevant, and not just coventional swing.. Also, who do you rate as the best reverse swing bowler and the best swing bowler of all times.. do share your thoughts.
The Twelfth Man 