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Abuses will come down, says Gavaskar

Special Correspondent

— Photo: Kristian Dowling/Getty Images

Sunil Gavaskar.

Mumbai: Sunil Gavaskar, Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Technical Committee, told The Hindu that “the personal abuses will definitely come down” in future. He was responding to a question if sledging can be completely eradicated from international cricket.

Gavaskar had attended the ICC Chief Executives Committee (CEC) meeting in Kuala Lumpur and articulated his views on sledging among other things.

Two years ago, Gavaskar said that international teams ignoring Twenty20 would be doing so at their own peril.

“Twenty20 is popular and it will become more popular. It will teach the batsmen to invent new shots and get away from dot-ball situations.

“Already batsmen are tapping the ball over short fine leg, executing the upper cut, reverse sweeping the ball and moving the front leg away from the line of the ball and whacking it over mid-wicket and extra-cover. New shots will make the game more attractive.

“The bowlers will also learn to bowl in four overs. They cannot attempt to bowl at the same pace and same length, but learn to change the pace and bring variety to their bowling,” said Gavaskar, who will be the ICC Technical Committee Chairman until 2010.

When asked if clubs in cities would now start Twenty20 competitions, he said: “It is already happening now and is most likely to increase. This would be a feeder system for the regional franchisees in the near future.”

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