'It is yet another rule loaded against bowlers'

The Future Cup between India and Australia saw the implementation of a new rule that makes change of ball mandatory after the 35th over. There have been cries for scrapping this rule as it could cost a team a game.

Ricky Ponting: It’s unfair on the part of the team which does everything right. It’s a very big advantage to the batting side. Common sense would be if you change the ball early like after the 27th or 28th over, the next change should be after the 41st and not after the 35th over... some day something like this is going to cost a team a game and that could well be the difference in a series.

Brett Lee: It’s a challenge playing the old ball when it starts to reverse-swing. The newer balls we’ve been using have been pretty shiny and still have the Kookaburra writing on them. It makes it harder for bowlers because you come on at the 35th over and you’re bowling with a new ball again.

Tim Nielsen (Australia coach): The different ball is harder and comes on to the bat better. We’ve been going on at four or five an over and it’s got up to seven or eight a couple of times.

Venkatesh Prasad (India’s bowling coach): It’s slightly disadvantageous to the bowlers. I don’t understand how they came to this decision. I would say the change can be delayed a bit, say like after 40 overs. Because it’s between the 30th and 40th overs that you generate reverse swing. The batsmen will have a chance to make their strokes if the ball is hard, especially on sub-continental pitches. You have so many rules loaded against bowlers, this is another one.