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Time for ICC to look at bails: Kohli

3 minute read

David Warner has become the fifth player at the Cricket World Cup to be saved by the bails, prompting calls for the ICC to investigate.

David Warner Picture: Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images

India captain Virat Kohli has called on the ICC to look into the Zing bails after David Warner became the fifth player to be saved by them at the Cricket World Cup.

Warner looked as if he was out for one when he bottom edged a ball off Jasprit Bumrah onto his foot, before it rolled firmly onto the stumps.

But the ball rebounded away from the wickets without the bails coming off, meaning Warner was able to survive and pass 50 in Australia's 36-run loss to India on Sunday.

It comes after Australia were on the wrong end of the scenario when a Mitchell Starc delivery brushed Chris Gayle's off stump against the West Indies on Wednesday, only for the bails to stay on.

Sri Lankan Dimuth Karunaratne, South African wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock and Bangladesh's Mohammad Saifuddin are others to have had the good fortune of the ball hitting the stumps without the bails dislodging.

A total of 35 players have been bowled in this year's World Cup, meaning one in eight times the bails have not fallen off.

"Definitely (it needs to be looked at), this is not something which you expect at the international level," Kohli said.

"You literally have to smash the stumps really hard, and I'm saying that as a batsman.

"And these are fast bowlers. These are not your medium-paced bowlers.

"I have no idea what's going on due to the lights coming on, if the stump is too thick or too rigid or I have no idea.

"But I'm sure no team would like seeing stuff like that."

There is a thought that the light-up Zing bails are harder to dismantle than the traditional wooden ones.

The ICC claimed last week the Zing bails were lighter than those used in heavy wind by umpires.

Former players have questioned if the groove in the stump or material used is having an impact.

"It's a bit unfair at times, isn't it," Australia's captain Aaron Finch said.

"And I know David's hit the stumps pretty hard.

"You'd hate to see something like that happen in a World Cup final or a semi-final.

"There may be something but I'm not sure what you can do.

"I don't know how much lighter they can make the bails."