Dawid Malan, a former England batter who stepped away from international cricket in 2024, has generated significant discussion with his views on ball-tampering. He proposed that the practice should be permitted in a regulated way to help equalize opportunities for bowlers and batters. This suggestion follows a recent scandal in the Pakistan Super League, where batter Fakhar Zaman and bowlers Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf were implicated, resulting in a two-match suspension for Zaman.
During an appearance on the BBC’s Strategic Timeout podcast, Malan noted that attempts to alter the ball have been a longstanding issue in the sport. He recommended allowing it under specific guidelines.
Malan explained that such changes have occurred throughout cricket’s history and are not a recent development. He argued for permitting players to scuff the ball as a legitimate skill, provided no external items are used, to enable reverse swing.
He further suggested that this approach would benefit bowlers, especially in the later stages of innings, leading to more competitive matches instead of one-sided victories.
Malan highlighted the advanced abilities of modern batters and the value of any edge bowlers can gain, such as making the ball curve or reverse, which could significantly impact the challenging final overs.
As a reminder, in 2018, Australian players David Warner and Steve Smith faced 12-month bans from international and domestic cricket, while Cameron Bancroft received a nine-month suspension, after being convicted of ball-tampering in a Test against South Africa.
