India spin coach proposes free hits to curb no-balls
Bahutule proposed free hits in Tests after Jadeja's 88 no-balls since 2021 highlighted spinner discipline issues.
India spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule suggested introducing free hits in Test cricket to reduce the number of no-balls bowled by spinners. Ravindra Jadeja has bowled 88 no-balls since 2021, more than any other spinner, prompting renewed focus on the issue during the Colombo Test. Bahutule said the team continues to work on take-off positions with Jadeja and debutant Saransh Jain but believes a rule change would help address the problem across the format.
CricHubb Take
Free hits would change bowler behaviour immediately, but the proposal also reveals how umpires have become more stringent since television adjudication began, turning a once-tolerated error into a measurable statistic.