Tendulkar Believes Malinga's Ball-Kissing Ritual May Have To Stop With ICC's New Rule On Saliva Ban

"A certain someone will have to also change his run up routine with the new @icc rules! What say Mali? #LasithMalinga," Tendulkar tweeted on Tuesday alongwith a pic of Malinga kissing the ball at the start of his run up.

Lasith Malinga

India's iconic cricketer Sachin Tendulkar is of the belief that Sri Lankan speedster Lasith Malinga may have to bring a slight modification to his distinct bowling action due to the newly laid down guidelines by the International Cricket Council's (ICC) for the resumption of cricket amid the coronavirus pandemic. Malinga, rated as one of the most potent seamers of his generation in limited-overs cricket bowls with a rather unorthodox action. The Sri Lankan pacer also has one of the most distinctive bowling actions in the world, particularly the way in which he releases the ball from a low slinging action. Sachin highlighted the fact that Malinga is also known to kiss the ball often at the start of his run-up. "A certain someone will have to also change his run up routine with the new @icc rules! What say Mali? #LasithMalinga," Tendulkar tweeted on Tuesday alongwith a pic of Malinga kissing the ball at the start of his run up.

A certain someone will have to also change his run up routine with the new @icc rules! What say Mali?😋#LasithMalinga pic.twitter.com/rHqbXZ3LMj

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) June 23, 2020

Among the spree of rules approved by the ICC to make the sport more safe for the cricketers in the post Covid-19 era, saliva cannot be used to shine the ball as it is known to carry the virus. Cricketers are also not allowed to use any artificial substance as a substitute but can use their sweat to do the job. How effective this will be in place of saliva will be seen when West Indies take on England in a three Test series starting on July 8.