2nd Test, Inda v England 2008, Mohali
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England captain Kevin Pietersen is back in the news for his switch shot (where he takes guard right handed but switches to left-handed while playing a shot). This is usually a sweep and although it can be easily confused with the reverse sweep, it is a conventional sweep of a left-handed batsman.
Should this be allowed? From an innovation standpoint most viewers feel that any new type of shot is a welcome addition to the game. But technically, is this fair to the bowlers? This is what the pundits are pondering.
Here are my views on this:
1. The validity of this shot is dubious, since we need to be clear as to how to treat lbw and field placing issues. In cricket the laws restrict field placing on leg side- and also behind square on leg side. But what constitutes leg side or off side is based on whether a batsman bats right-handed or left-handed in the first place. Could Don Bradman and the Aussie's have negated leg-side fields during the Bodyline series, by switching hands? That was a marquee series as the laws for field placings were changed thereafter.
2. Innovation aspect: since there is an element of risk and entertainment, this shot does not seem unfair to the bowlers. But what happens if a batsman switches not to take risk but simply to dab it into a vacant gap on the leg-side (as during his guard)?
My bigger question is:
What if a right-handed batsman walks into the crease, but decides to take guard left-handed on a given day, and then switches to right-handed (his natural side), just as the bowler is about to bowl?
Then we have a right handed batsman batting right handed with vacant gaps on the other side!
This is not to take anything away from Pietersen's well constructed knock. This switch shot is welcome but certain restrictions and clarifications are needed for sure, else the basic logic of all laws which are based on leg-side or off-side (lbws, number fielders etc) will be exploited- at least at some phases in an innings -especially in ODIs where a few singles at a later stage are all important, even at the cost of a wicket.
Saumil
Mumbai, India
21 Dec 2008
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