Former Test greats Tim Southee and Vernon Philander have backed Mohammed Shami’s plea to the ICC to revoke the ban on saliva usage in international cricket. After India’s four-wicket win over Australia in the Champions Trophy semis, Shami said as a seamer, he always tries to make the old ball talk, but because the ICC has barred them from using saliva, it makes it tougher for the quicks to reverse the ball, especially on batting friendly pitches.

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"We are trying [to get reverse swing], but the usage of saliva on the ball is not allowed," Shami said.

"We keep appealing that we should be allowed to use saliva so that we can bring reverse swing back into the game, and it becomes interesting," he added.

The ban on using saliva to polish the ball first came into place five years ago in May 2020, when the apex body barred everyone from using it to avoid the spread of COVID-19 infection. Although that began as a temporary measure, the ICC made this ban permanent in September 2022.

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India’s pace spearhead at the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025 has urged the ICC to reconsider revoking this ban, with former seamers jumping on to back him. 

"That was a rule brought around Covid with the virus going around the world, but I think as a bowler, you want to have a slight advantage," Southee said on ESPNcricinfo's Match Day. 

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"We see the game going the way it's going and seeing sides score 362, and more often than not over 300 in this format. I think there needs to be something in the bowlers' favour, and whether that's a little bit of saliva, then yeah, I don't see why they couldn't afford to get that back in,” he continued. 

Reverse swing would have helped Proteas

On the other hand, Philander also spoke in Shami’s favour, saying that had reverse swing been in place during the ongoing tournament, it would have helped South African seamers in the semis tie (against New Zealand), which they lost by 50 runs.

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"If we look at the state of that ball, I mean towards the back end, it was really scuffed up, and I think had you used the saliva [to polish one side of the ball], the element of the reverse swing might have come into play," Philander said. 

"So, it certainly does play a part. You can get it to shine up and you use the elements to swing it a little longer.

"I'd like to see that element being brought back into the game because I think it's needed as well. I mean, especially in ODI cricket where we see batters really dominating, especially when you play on surfaces like we've just seen in Pakistan as well where it's really batter friendly,” he continued.

Meanwhile, India and New Zealand will face off in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final on Sunday (March 9) in Dubai. 

(With inputs from agencies)