&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Introduce Free Hits’: Sairaj Bahutule’s bold suggestion to fix Test no-balls")
Indian spinners were on top of Sri Lankan batters on day four of the second Test in Colombo, but kept management worried about overstepping. India gave away five extra runs in no-balls on the fourth day, with off-spinning debutant Saransh Jain bowling four of them. Ace spinner Ravindra Jadeja also bowled on the fourth day. Jadeja, however, owns an unwanted record of bowling the most no-balls by a spinner since 2021 (88*). India's spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule offered a novel suggestion to reduce it in red-ball cricket.
Unlike in white-ball cricket, where bowling a no-ball leads to a free hit, the bowlers get away with it in Tests, and Bahutule suggested the same, though jokingly.
“We are working on the no-balls. It is a concern, at times,” Bahutule said to the reporters on Wednesday. “When the bowler is putting in that effort, trying to see how he can create that opportunity and get a wicket in situations where wickets are not coming through, he has the tendency to push himself.”
“I guess, if the free hit comes in, it will reduce the (no ball) percentage. But again, as I mentioned, there are times where they want to push themselves and see how they can get the best of their bowling in that particular situation,” he added.
India’s Decision to Enforce Follow-On
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India dismissed Sri Lanka for 290 in the first innings, and instead of batting in their second innings, captain Shubman Gill decided to enforce the follow-on – something bowling coach Morne Morkel suggested after the third day’s play. That decision, however, helped India inch closer to the win, with Sri Lanka only 16 runs ahead and four wickets remaining.
“I think, one, the decision had to be taken. But the other part, we were looking at the clouds every now and then because, from Galle to Colombo, the rains are around any moment. So considering that, I think it was very important for us. There was no debate, but to give that follow-on and get on the field and make sure that we get the opposition out,” Bahutule said of the team decision.
