Former England cricketer Dawid Malan has suggested that ball-tampering in Cricket should be allowed. Malan, who stepped away from International cricket in 2024, feels that the balance has tilted towards bowlers, making them more dominant.
He believes legalizing ball-tampering would benefit bowlers, enabling reverse swing and helping to level the playing field.
“Throughout cricket’s history, players have been caught trying to alter the ball. It’s been happening for years. I think it should be legal – just allow players to scratch the ball, but nothing from the outside. Getting the ball to reverse swing is a skill in itself,” Malan said on BBC’s Strategic Timeout podcast.
“It would make the game more favorable for bowlers, especially towards the end of matches. It could lead to closer games instead of teams winning easily,” he explained.
Malan further noted that today’s batters have honed their skills, making it essential for bowlers to find any possible advantage during a match.
“Batters are so skilled now that gaining any tactical edge with the ball—whether it’s moving it or making it reverse swing—can significantly impact the game. If the ball can be made to move, it really helps during the crucial final overs,” Malan added.
The topic of ball-tampering has gained attention recently, particularly after an incident involving Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Fakhar Zaman during the 2026 PSL. Zaman received a two-match suspension, and Afridi faced a substantial fine.
The most notable ball-tampering scandal occurred in 2018 when Australia’s Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft were penalized for altering the ball using sandpaper during a Test match in Cape Town against South Africa.