Legendary Indian cricket team batter Sunil Gavaskar has criticised the ‘modern practice’ of bowlers to take refreshments while fielding near the boundary in addition to the already scheduled drinks breaks during the match. In his column for Sportstar, Gavaskar said that it gives the bowlers an unfair advantage while a similar luxury is not enjoyed by the batters. Gavaskar also blamed the authorities of modern cricket for ‘turning a blind eye’ to the occurrences and making it quite common in the sport nowadays.

“In cricket, the modern practice of bowlers, especially the quick ones, getting a refreshing drink on the boundary line where they go to field after completing their over is an example of the authorities turning a blind eye to the practice,” Gavaskar wrote.

The ICC rules state that players are allowed to take drinks even outside the scheduled drinks breaks if no time is wasted in the match and it does not bother any other cricketer.

“An individual player may be given a drink either on the boundary edge or at the fall of a wicket, on the field, provided that no playing time is wasted. No other drinks shall be taken onto the field without the permission of the umpires. Any player taking drinks onto the field shall be dressed in proper cricket attire.” 

But, Gavaskar pointed out that only bowlers are able to take advantage of this rule.

“Why have the drinks interval then if bowlers are going to get themselves hydrated after going flat out for six deliveries? Mind you, the batter doesn’t get the chance to have a drink after an over where they may have taken eight runs or so, which are all run,” he wrote.

“Cricket is also a game where stamina and endurance matter no matter what the format is, so frankly, it should go back to the days when drinks were taken only after every hour of play and before that only with the permission of the opposition captain and umpires,” Gavaskar added.