Chennai, (UNI) Australia pace spearhead Mitchell Starc has downplayed the role of saliva in white-ball cricket, asserting that the traditional practice of using it to shine the ball has little to no effect in the limited-overs format.
“I didn’t use saliva on the ball. I think it’s a myth. I don’t think it makes a big difference in white ball, red ball—yes,” Starc said, speaking after Kolkata Knight Riders’ recent IPL encounter.
Starc’s comments come in the backdrop of post-pandemic regulations that banned the use of saliva on cricket balls.
While many bowlers have since adapted, the debate over the role of saliva in generating swing has persisted.
The left-arm pacer, known for his lethal inswinging yorkers, acknowledged that while the red ball benefits from conventional polishing techniques, the same cannot be said of the white ball used in ODIs and T20s.
Cricket authorities around the world have largely upheld the saliva ban, citing health reasons, and players have increasingly turned to sweat or other legal means to maintain the ball.
