Scott Styris wants ‘a complete ban’ on the switch hit

The switch hit has remained one of the controversial shots in cricket for over two decades now. A batter changes his stance as well as his grip while playing a switch hit. The controversy with this shot has been there since Kevin Pietersen played one against the legendary Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan in a Test match in 2006. 

Two years later, Pietersen produced another switch hit during a one-day game against the Kiwi bowler Scott Styris. Styris has made a very bold statement on the ‘legality’ of playing switch-hits.

Also Read: Ashwin wants lbw to come into play if batters go for switch hit

The former Kiwi all-rounder was asked to react to Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s recent statement on switch hit to which he replied ‘’Well, I sort of gotta go back half a step here. I loved a lot of the points that Ashwin has made. I completely disagreed with all his solutions. I actually think even though we just had some fun with the switch hit, I think the switch hit should be banned completely.’’ Styris, the former New Zealand cricketer, and current commentator gave his statement on Sports18’s daily show ‘SPORTS OVER THE TOP’.

Also Read: ODI cricket needs to find its relevance: Ashwin

‘’I don’t think a batter should be able to change his hands. In terms of changing hands, Kevin Pietersen has completely flipped around as a left-hander. If you only take away the switch hit, but allow all the reverse sweeps and reverse hits, then I think you don’t have to worry about the LBW law that Ashwin is talking about,’’ he further added.

Also Read: India squad for West Indies T20Is: No Kohli, Rahul subject to fitness

Ashwin recently said in one of his YouTube videos that a batter, if he plays a switch hit and misses, should be given LBW even if the ball pitches outside the leg stump. The current law of MCC says that a batter cannot be given out LBW if the ball pitches outside the leg stump area as it is considered as a ‘blind spot’ for batters. The same law applies to switch hits as well.