Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to increase the length of boundaries across all domestic and IPL matches. He believes the ‘ridiculously’ short boundaries were one of the reasons for Indian batters struggling overseas.
Gavaskar’s comments come after India’s difficult trip to the United Kingdom, where they suffered a 2-0 T20I series whitewash to Ireland, a 4-0 T20I drubbing to England, and a 2-1 ODI defeat to the Three Lions, as well. New T20I captain Shreyas Iyer blamed the ‘not perfect’ conditions in Belfast and then individual mistakes for the losses, though the batting department struggled in almost every match.
Gavaskar, writing in his column for Sportstar, said that unlike the common
perception, the flat wickets in the IPL weren’t the major reason behind the issues.
“The fact is that there were flat pitches in India, alright, but it’s the ridiculously small boundaries that flatter the batter, whose mishits can clear the ropes, while in countries with bigger and longer boundaries these same hits are caught inside the boundary line,” he wrote.
Crucially, England spinner Adil Rashid, who played in the series, spoke about the same thing in his podcast after the series concluded.
“It’s absolutely imperative, when the new Indian season begins, to get the boundary sizes increased so that our batters get used to that before the World Cup next year,” Gavaskar said. “At virtually every ground, there is plenty of space for people to walk behind the LED advertising boards, so it tells you that if this space is utilised, the boundary size will automatically increase. This will also give our spin bowlers the opportunity to bowl a bit slower so that they can get the loop and turn that a slower delivery produces. The medium-pace darters they currently bowl actually help the batter use the pace, get under the ball and power it into the stands,” he added.
