Virat Kohli backs Sachin Tendulkar’s view on 2 new balls in ODIs

Indian Captain Virat Kohli has seconded the concern of the greatest batsman of all time Sachin Tendulkar on the disadvantages that bowlers face due to 2 new balls in ODIs.

“I’ve read a lot of things about two new balls and I agree it’s brutal for the bowlers. There’s hardly any room for attacking cricket left from a bowler’s point of view if you do not provide pitches that assist them with the new ball,” Kohli said in the press conference before leaving for the United Kingdom (UK) tour.

“I have played ODI cricket when there was only one new ball allowed and reverse swing used to be a massive factor in the latter half of the innings which as a batsman was more challenging. Nowadays, I honestly feel that, yeah, it’s very difficult for the bowlers with two new balls and if the pitch is flat they have no way out,” the Captain further said.

Just yesterday Sachin had posted a tweet voicing his concern over the diminishing reverse swing in One day cricket.

He wrote on Twitter: “Having 2 new balls in one day cricket is a perfect recipe for disaster as each ball is not given the time to get old enough to reverse. We haven’t seen reverse swing, an integral part of the death overs, for a long time.”

Having 2 new balls in one day cricket is a perfect recipe for disaster as each ball is not given the time to get old enough to reverse. We haven’t seen reverse swing, an integral part of the death overs, for a long time. #ENGvsAUS

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) June 21, 2018

Kohli also talked about how critical wrist spinners can prove to be on flat pitches and the X factor that they bring in. “Unless you have wrist spinners in your team which can do the job in the middle overs. Not every team has that cushion so they find it difficult,” Kohli mentioned.