Kumble says chuckers can change

Published November 5, 2014
“I am really positive that bowlers who have been reported will make those necessary corrections and will be back,” said former leg-spinner Anil Kumble. -AFP/File
“I am really positive that bowlers who have been reported will make those necessary corrections and will be back,” said former leg-spinner Anil Kumble. -AFP/File

DUBAI: Legendary Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble said Wednesday he believes that bowlers under scrutiny for suspect action can quickly return to competition after remedial work.

The 44-year-old spinner is the head of cricket committee of the International Cricket Council (ICC) which in June this year recommended stringent measures against bowlers with suspect actions.

That resulted in the suspension of high profile bowlers such as Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal, Sri Lanka's Sachitra Senanayake, Zimbabwe's Prosper Utseya, New Zealand's Kane Williamson and Bangladesh's Sohag Gazi.

Bangldesh's paceman Al-Amin Hossain was also reported but on Wednesday cleared after a bio-mechanical analysis.

Those suspended needed remedial work before another assessment to get clearance.

Kumble, who took 619 Tests and 337 one-day wickets, said necessary corrective measures can help.

“I am really positive that bowlers who have been reported will make those necessary corrections and will be back,” Kumble, who is here for the ICC awards shortlist, told reporters.

“It is just a matter of time before you see them back in action. Once that happens I don't think they will even discuss anything to do with the angles. “Kumble said he himself suffered the problem at an early age.

“When I started as a 13-year old as a fast bowler I was told to stop by my senior colleagues because they felt that I was bending my arm as a fast bowler,” recalls Kumble, who besides England's Jim Laker was the only bowler to take all ten wickets in a Test innings.

“There was no television, no video then so they said you should not be bowling that way because that came natural to me so immediately I changed to bowling leg-spin. “Kumble stressed suspect bowling actions should be spotted and corrected at an early age.

“It is important that we encourage bowlers at an early age because once you have a kink in the arm for various reasons it is very difficult to correct it as you go along, so you want to ensure that people with good clean actions are coming through from the bottom of the pyramid and hence it is important that it gets addressed,” said Kumble.

Kumble said controversial delivery 'doosra' (one which turns the other way than a normal off-break) can be bowled within the allowed limits of 15 degree elbow extension.

“Nobody has said bowling doosra is illegal it is the action that is all we are saying. So I don't think we should allow any change in rules,” said the master leg-spinner of his times.

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