Now, the games will be more challenging says Vinay Kumar

Now, the games will be more challenging says Vinay Kumar: R Vinay Kumar one of the most successful domestic bowlers and skippers in the last few years leading the Karnataka team to back to back Ranji Trophy titles and has been among the highest wicket taker for the team and in the league, believes that the move by ICC to allow more fielders outside the ring towards the end of the innings and the decision to remove the batting power play will encourage the bowlers and is a positive move.

Vinay was quoted by TOI saying, “Finally, the ICC has thought about us. With the batsmen playing innovative shots, I can’t say that the balance has shifted in favour of bowlers. But, at least, the rules will give us some protection, it is a positive move by the ICC and I applaud it,”

The batsmen and the batting side will need to change their strategies now and will look to pick runs and not just boundaries, he said, “Now, the games will be more challenging. We can bowl more aggressively and go for wickets. Earlier, the batting side took the batting Powerplay between 36-40 overs. Then, with four fielders outside the circle in the last 15 overs, they used to go on a rampage. Now, with five fielders, chances of getting a wicket are more,”

Former India pacer and ICC Match Referee Javagal Srinath also applauded ICCs change of rules and said that the bowlers will now get more backing on the outfield in the last 10 overs as 5 fielders can be placed beyond the 30 yards circle. Srinath said, “Well, you can’t score 350-400 easily any more. I can see the bowlers now having a say in the outcome of a match. I would have been happier had they increased the number of fielders to six instead of five. Then the batsmen would have been under a lot of pressure,”

These changes will test the skills of the batsmen and make them think new and different strategies. “The games were getting a little one-dimensional. The batting side was inclined to preserve their wickets so that they can go for broke in the last 15 overs. It was given that there would be a deluge of runs towards the end if the batting side didn’t lose too many wickets. Now, following the rule changes, the batsmen will have to think of different strategies, said Srinath.

Though Srinath agreed that the way modern batsmen have evolved it is not just the field restrictions that has helped them, the likes of Gayles, de Villiers and others have consistently done well at a demolishing rate. “You cannot possibly contain a Chris Gayle or an AB de Villiers from scoring the runs. But the change of rule will make the batsmen think a little more, he said.

The batsmen will now be rather forced to change the approach and start rotating the strike harder in the middle overs than looking to slog, “Earlier, the batsmen would have looked to just rotate the strike during the middle overs. Now, they may try to hit more boundaries. If they can hit a six or a four in an over and take singles or the remaining four or five balls, totals of 350 might still be achieved,” Vinay Kumar said.