5 rules that need to be changed in cricket

With the new set-up coming into place in the International CricketCouncil (ICC)where the administration will be handled mostly by the Big Three India, England and Australia, here are some of the rules and aspects of the game that they should look into,to improve the quality of play and maintain its relevance among the stakeholders of the game.These are some rules that should change to help cricket mainly Tests move forward:

#1 Define bat thickness

Cricket has, for a long time, lived in the undefined when it comes to certain playing conditions and laws, one of which is the thickness of a bat.

As per the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) guidelines, there is no clear definition regarding how thick a batsman’s bat has to be. There needs to be a change in this certain aspect immediately considering the way bat sizes have inflated from moderate slates of wood to almost tree-trunks. These humongous weapons make even ordinary shots look like masterstrokes.

When there are guidelines regarding the shape and size of the cricket balls, stumps and, thankfully, the width of the bats, there should certainly be a clear code defining the bat thickness. In every sport, there are clear laws pertaining to the objects that are involved in play such as racquets, balls, nets, etc., so why have the custodians of the game shied away from bringing a law regarding the thickness of bats?

In my opinion, the ideal thickness of a bat at its meatiest point should be around 1 inch, whereas, if you see modern bats, they are well over 2 inches. Someone like Chris Gayle might have a bat thickness of around 3 inches.

Also, it may save the environment in the process, as fewer trees would be felled for manufacturing these kinds of bats.