Is ICC set to revise wide ball laws for more leeway for bowlers?

Ex-South African skipper Pollock says, we need to give bowlers more leeway, with ongoing discussions on the issue.

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Shaun Pollock, the media representative of the ICC's cricket committee, has stated that the body is working on a potential change to provide bowlers with "a bit more leeway on wides," especially as batters frequently move around the crease in limited-overs formats.

Pollock explained, "If a batter jumps across at the last minute, it doesn’t really work out for me. A bowler needs to know where he can bowl it at the start of his run-up."

Currently, the ICC’s playing conditions specify that a ball is called a wide if it passes wide of where the striker is standing, and also would have passed wide of the striker in a normal batting position.

However, a wide is not called if the batter moves, causing the ball to pass wide or bringing it within reach to be hit.

Pollock added, "We need to give a little bit back to the bowlers," noting that discussions are ongoing regarding the issue.

In recent tournaments like the IPL and WPL, players have been allowed to review wide calls using DRS. However, former umpire Simon Taufel has expressed reservations about this practice.

He warned against turning the art of officiating into a science and emphasized that wide calls are ultimately a judgment call, not something that should be decided by the third umpire.