Lasith Malinga may have to stop kissing the ball, says Sachin Tendulkar
Indian cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar took to Twitter to poke fun at Lasith Malinga's ritual of kissing the ball before run-up, saying that it is something that would no longer be considered legal after ICC made changes in rules and regulations.
These rule changes were made due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The change in rules included the ban on the usage of saliva to shine the ball which prompted Sachin Tendulkar to make the light-hearted tweet about Lasith Malinga.
Sachin Tendulkar and Lasith Malinga have been great friends both on and off the field ever since their days together at the Mumbai Indians. Sachin Tendulkar tweeted, "A certain someone will have to also change his run up routine with the new @icc rules! What say Mali? #LasithMalinga."
Lasith Malinga is known for his ritual, but laws have changed
International cricket is set to return on July 8 as England host West Indies for a three-match Test series followed by a three-match T20I series. This series will take place in a bio-secure environment to ensure the safety of all the players involved. This series will further be followed by Pakistan's tour to England which is likely to begin in the first week of August.
The new rules include usage of COVID-19 substitutes which will come into the playing eleven if any player tests positive for the virus. The rule changes also do not allow the use of any artificial substance for shining the ball, but sweat can be used to shine the ball as that is not something that carries the virus.
Lasith Malinga's unusual action has made him one of the best bowlers in limited-overs cricket and a legend in Sri Lanka. Both his action and varying arm speed is pretty hard to pick for any batsman. His subtle variations are still a threat even though he is in the twilight of his career. However, as Tendulkar said, it will be interesting to see how he deals with the ritual of kissing the ball in the beginning of his run-up once cricket resumes again.