Indian pace veteran Umesh Yadav has expressed his support for the revocation of the saliva ban in the Indian Premier League (IPL), emphasizing its positive impact on bowlers, particularly with the new ball.

Speaking at an AstroLawn event in Greater Noida, Umesh highlighted how the reintroduction of saliva would assist fast bowlers in maintaining control and generating movement.

"I think it might make a difference in white-ball cricket. But I think it depends on the situation because there are night matches, the ball gets wet due to dew, so saliva does not matter at that time. When the ball is new, saliva is an important thing...

So I think it is a very good thing that it has come back. It would help the fast bowlers a lot," Umesh told ANI.

The saliva ban was initially introduced as a precautionary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce the risk of virus transmission. However, bowlers have often cited the ban as a significant disadvantage, especially in limited-overs cricket, where maintaining the ball's shine is crucial for swing.

High Praise for Jasprit Bumrah

Umesh also heaped praise on his teammate and Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, acknowledging him as the best bowler of this generation.

He credited Bumrah's dedication and determination for his success.

"When you have that talent, it is important to showcase it. When Bumrah came, and the way he has grown, he has always tried to do better. That is why he is here at this level. It is his hard work, practice, and thinking that have brought him here. When he started in the IPL and worked with Lasith Malinga, his yorker got better. He learnt a lot within such a short time and now he is the best fast bowler of this generation," said Umesh.

On T20s Being Batting Friendly

Addressing the ever-growing dominance of batters in T20 cricket, Umesh acknowledged the challenges bowlers face in the shortest format. He noted that the lack of swing and reverse swing in T20 matches often tilts the balance in favor of batters.

"T20 was always dominant for batters. The ball does not swing or reverse during 20 overs. The ball does not get that worn out in T20s. The white ball does not move much, and wickets are often flat. If you do not execute well in T20s, you will go for runs. If one focuses on their execution and line or length, they get rewarded too.

If a team scores 280, it could be because of poor execution. It will forever remain a batter-dominated game. In IPL, teams would be aiming to score as much as possible," he explained.