Is ball tampering essential for reverse swing? Researcher shares Imran Khan's view

Mumbai: Australian players are being charged for the ball tampering in South Africa, however, according to Dr. Rabindra D. Mehta, a Sports Aerodynamics Consultant in USA, ball tampering is not essential in order to achieve reverse swing.

Interestingly, Imran Khan, former Pakistan captain, who was this researcher's school friend, endorsed these views first to him.

Speaking exclusively over the telephone from California, he said, "Basically, you do not have to roughen one side for reverse swing. Even a new ball will reverse, but only at very high speeds (90 mph plus). "

The researcher, however added, "There are two advantages of creating one side rough and the other smooth. One can obtain reverse swing (at nominal speeds) with the rough side facing the batsman and with the seam straight up, one can produce contrast swing - this is where the ball swings towards the smooth side as the 'experts' keep pointing out."

"With reverse swing, the ball will swing in a direction opposed to that of the seam i.e. a ball with the seam pointing towards the slips will swing into the batsman (what should be an outswinger becomes an inswinger)."

"Letting one side of the ball roughen up during play takes some time. That is why ball tampering has become popular. I can describe having seen many samples at Lord's, the players know what to do and how to do it but the trick is not to get caught."

"In this particular recent case, the video seems to show a yellow object, perhaps, a plastic piece with some roughness on it."