'Fine the bowling coach' - Sunil Gavaskar suggests radical remedy for India's no-ball woes

Writing about the two-Test series between India and Sri Lanka in his Mid-Day column, Sunil Gavaskar expressed his displeasure at the amount of no-balls India bowled during the second Test in Colombo, which eventually finished in a draw, hampering India's WTC final chances.

India bowled a total of 13 no-balls in the Test, with Ravindra Jadeja and Saransh Jain contributing to 11 of those across the two innings. Jadeja also bowled four no-balls in the first Test in Galle.

“The no-balls being bowled by the Indian bowlers came in for a fair bit of comment,” Gavaskar wrote. “This has to be looked at urgently because it can change the colour of the game. There are very few aspects of the game that are totally in the players' control and a batter taking guard and a bowler not bowling a no-ball are two such aspects.

“Players, when they come for interviews, talk about doing things that are in their control. Today with tape measure(s) available to mark the run-up there should be no excuses for overstepping the bowling crease.”

India’s spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule had jokingly suggested the introduction of free-hits in Test cricket to curb the number of no-balls during the second match. However, Gavaskar stressed that the implementation of free-hits will simply push the game more in favour of the batters.

“Please, let’s not make run-scoring easier in Test cricket for the batters with this penalty,” he added. “As it is, with the restriction on bouncers to two in an over and the boundaries being brought in, run making has become a little simpler.”

Gavaskar: Fines which get doubled for every transgression

Instead, the former India opener came up with a suggestion of implementing a fine for the bowlers who overstep, which should be doubled for every following no-ball. He further suggested the bowling coach to be fined half the amount of their bowlers' cumulative fine as well.

“Instead, how about a fine which gets doubled for every further transgression plus half the amount of fine for the bowling coach too,” he wrote, before adding that “the fines collected can be used for the final team dinner before the boys disperse. There could be other fines too, for example, not backing up for a throw or something else not done on the field, which the whole team can vote on whether to impose or not. This can be also a fun activity and bond the team even more.”

Most no-balls bowled by India in a Test this decade

The second Test between Sri Lanka and India saw the visitors bowl 13 no-balls - an unwanted record that sits ninth on the list of the most no-balls bowled by India in a Test match since 2020.

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