Colombo, August 26: India's spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule has offered a tongue-in-cheek but intriguing solution to a problem that has repeatedly frustrated
the team's spin attack during the ongoing second Test against Sri Lanka - introducing free-hits for no-balls in Test cricket.
India's spinners have overstepped 10 times in the ongoing second Test in Colombo, with the repeated no-balls becoming a concern for the team's support staff. At the close of play on day four, , with a slender lead of 16 runs, in their second innings after being asked to follow-on by the Indian skipper.
The problem is particularly significant because no-balls in Test cricket can be costly. Apart from conceding an additional run and giving the batting side an extra delivery, a no-ball can also wipe out a wicket that may have otherwise changed the course of an innings.
Bahutule acknowledged that India's spinners are working on the issue but admitted that the problem can emerge when bowlers push themselves harder in search of wickets.
"It is something which we have been working on. It is definitely a concern at times. But when the bowler is putting in that effort and gets a wicket in situations where wickets are not coming, he has a tendency to push himself, but that is not an excuse," Bahutule said at the post-day press conference.
Why are Indian spinners overstepping?
According to Bahutule, the issue is not a lack of awareness among the bowlers. The Indian spin unit has been working specifically on its take-off points, with Ravindra Jadeja and Saransh Jain among those being monitored.
"A lot of work has been put in with (Ravindra) Jadeja, with Saransh (Jain), about where the take-off point is," Bahutule said.
The problem, he explained, can arise when the bowler generates additional effort for a particular delivery. "But sometimes, the effort they put in for that particular delivery is a bit more and they tend to overstep. I am sure they will rectify it and get better," he added.
In other words, the overstepping is not necessarily occurring because the bowlers are unaware of where the crease is. Rather, it can happen when the desire to extract something extra from a delivery results in the bowler going beyond the normal take-off point.
Bahutule's unusual free-hit solution
It was while discussing the problem that Bahutule offered his unconventional suggestion. Free-hits are a familiar feature of limited-overs cricket, where a batter cannot be dismissed through most conventional modes of dismissal off the delivery immediately following a no-ball.
Test cricket does not have the same provision. Bahutule jokingly suggested that bringing the rule into the longest format could itself act as a powerful deterrent.
"I am no guardian of the rules but if a free-hit comes, obviously, no-balls will definitely be reduced. No team would want to bowl those no-balls and give that extra ball and give those extra runs," he said.
The suggestion was made in a lighter vein, but the logic behind it is clear: if a no-ball also guarantees the batter a free-hit on the next delivery, bowlers and teams would have an even greater incentive to avoid overstepping.
In Test cricket, where innings can stretch over hundreds of deliveries and small mistakes can have significant consequences, the introduction of such a penalty would fundamentally change the risk associated with a no-ball.
Bahutule, however, made it clear that he was not proposing himself as an authority on cricket's laws.
"I am no guardian of the rules," he said before making the suggestion.
No-balls remain a work in progress
For now, the Indian camp is focused on fixing the problem through training rather than changing the Laws of Cricket.
Bahutule said the coaching staff actively monitors bowlers during practice sessions and treats no-ball prevention much like a match situation.
"I think the reminders are given during nets also. It is similar to a match situation. We take every session seriously and it is monitored from the side," he said.
The coaches themselves sometimes take on the role of umpires during training.
"Sometimes, I stay as an umpire and sometimes the other coaches stand as umpires. We are monitoring spinners and fast bowlers. So, we definitely give importance to it and work in progress," Bahutule added.
That approach is intended to make awareness of the front crease part of the bowlers' routine rather than something they consciously think about only during matches.
India's spinners need precision as much as penetration
The issue has become more noticeable because India's spin attack is expected to play a major role in the Colombo Test.
Spinners often operate for long spells in Test cricket, and maintaining a consistent landing and take-off point over extended periods can become difficult, particularly when bowlers alter their rhythm or increase their effort to force a breakthrough.
For Bahutule, the challenge is therefore to find the balance between aggression and control.
The Indian spin coach acknowledged that the bowlers' desire to create wickets can sometimes contribute to the problem, but he does not view that as an acceptable excuse.
The immediate solution remains technical - work on the take-off point, reinforce awareness during training and ensure that an extra burst of effort does not take the bowler beyond the crease.
And if that does not work, Bahutule has at least offered cricket's lawmakers another idea: give the batter a free-hit and watch no-balls disappear.
For now, though, India's spinners will have to solve the problem the conventional way - one delivery at a time.
(With Inputs from PTI)
