Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar is known for speaking his mind and calling things as he sees them. Never the one to mince his words, Gavaskar has addressed a growing trend in cricket that he believes deserves attention. Always sympathetic for batters, Gavaskar has singled out a ‘modern’ approach taken by bowlers that he feels gives them an unfair advantage.

The ‘Little Master’ is a demanding critic. He expects batters to make the most of their innings. So, Gavaskar is deeply troubled when he sees bowlers deliberately taking ‘drinks breaks’ during matches, a practice he strongly condemns. The former opener doesn’t hold back his disapproval when a batter throws away their wicket or runs casually between the wickets, unable to capitalize on scoring opportunities.

“The authorities have turned a blind eye to the modern practice of bowlers, particularly pacers, having their drinks right on the boundary after an over. Why have a designated drinks break if bowlers can simply hydrate themselves after exerting themselves for six deliveries? Meanwhile, batters do not receive the same opportunity for a drink after potentially running eight runs or more in an over. This inconsistency in treatment between bowlers and batters is puzzling,” Gavaskar noted in his column for Sportstar.

“In cricket, stamina and endurance are critical regardless of the format. The sport should return to the traditional practice of allowing drinks only after each hour of play, and before that, only with the approval of the opposing captain and umpires. Once umpires turned a blind eye and permitted a single bowler this privilege, it quickly became the norm, undermining the very purpose of the designated drinks interval,” he continued.

The 75-year old legend wants stricter rules in place, urging match referees to take firmer action and not allow such incidents to be overlooked.

“The third umpire and match referee must ensure that the reserve player remains outside the boundary line and does not enter the field to provide a drink to their teammate,” he added.