Toss that coin away

Sunil Gavaskar shows the way forward © AFP

Every cricket game, no matter how boring it eventually turns out to be, begins with a touch of mystery: who's going to win the toss? Well, in Indian domestic cricket, that mystery may no longer remain. In a conclave held by the Indian board (BCCI) in Mumbai, attended by coaches and captains of first-class teams in India, it was suggested that the toss be eliminated from the game, with the visiting team having the option to decide whether to bat or bowl first.

Sunil Gavaskar, the head of the BCCI's technical committee, explained that this move would level the home team's advantage, besides tackling, to some extent, the issue of doctored pitches. Of course, with the toss written into the laws of the game, this might not be so easy to implement. "I know the toss is a part of the game," said Gavaskar. "If we [decide to] implement this suggestion, we will see how we can go around it."

In a move to make sure that there were more results in the Ranji Trophy, India's premier first-class tournament, it was suggested that playing days be increased to five instead of four. A fair amount of cricket is also lost in the winter when fog makes play impossible in the northern parts of India; the conclave suggested not holding any matches in the north during December and January.

Other suggestions included raising the financial penalty for slow-over rates, standardising all equipment, such as rollers, used throughout India's many first-class centres, and improving the quality of the balls being used. The SG Test balls currently in use have been found unsatisfactory, and alternatives are being explored, both from SG and from their rival ball manufacturer, Kookaburra.

Gavaskar also stressed on the need to control misbehaviour on the field. "I told them [match officials] to be fair and [to] come down heavily on the offenders," said Gavaskar. "Gamesmanship is fine but there cannot be a place for personal abuse in the game."