Sunil Gavaskar calls for harsher punishment after Ravindra Jadeja's no-ball woes against Sri Lanka: ‘How about a fine…’

India spinner Ravindra Jadeja has come under scrutiny for bowling repeated no-balls during the recently-concluded Test series against Sri Lanka, with legendary India opener Sunil Gavaskar suggesting fines for bowlers committing the offence.

Since 2021, Jadeja has bowled more than 85 no-balls in Tests, and this is an issue he is yet to rectify. India bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule gave the suggestion of introducing free-hits to Tests, but Gavaskar is not a fan of this move.

"The no-balls being bowled by the Indian bowlers came in for a fair bit of comment. 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," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-Day.

“Players, when they come for interviews, talk about doing things within their control. Today, with a tape measure available to mark the run-up, there should be no excuses for overstepping the bowling crease," he added.

Gavaskar criticises Bahutule’s proposal

Gavaskar also criticised Bahutule's proposal of introducing free-hits to Tests, stating that it could make the game more batter-dominant.

“The India team spinning coach jokingly said that giving a free hit after a no-ball might help in curbing the offence. Please, let’s not make scoring runs in Test cricket easier for batters with this penalty. 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,” the 77-year-old explained.

Instead, the former India captain proposed a system of escalating fines for bowlers who repeatedly overstep the crease, with the bowling coach also being made accountable.

“Instead, how about a fine which gets doubled for every further transgression, plus half the amount of the fine for the bowling coach, too. The fines collected can be used for the final team dinner before the boys disperse," he suggested.

He also floated the idea of introducing fines for other lapses on the field, with the team itself deciding whether a particular offence warranted a penalty.

"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 also be a fun activity and bond the team even more,” he elaborated.

India wrapped up the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka with a 1-0 victory. The visitors won the opening Test in Galle by 165 runs and appeared on course for another victory in the second Test.

However, Sri Lanka mounted a determined resistance in the second innings while following on, led by Sonal Dinusha, who scored a century. The hosts eventually declared at 429/9, with a 156-run lead on the final day of the series.