IPL 2020 / RR's Robin Uthappa caught applying saliva on the ball during match, pics surface

Cricket Desk: Eyeing to clinch their third victory of IPL 2020, Steve Smith-led Rajasthan Royals won the toss and put Kolkata Knight Riders to bat first in 12th match of the tournament in Dubai. The Royals’ bowling set-up, led by the blistering pace of Jofra Archer, made a heavy impact by scalping five KKR wickets at a modest total of 115.

While Archer scalped two wickets, Ankit Rajput, Jaydev Unadkat and Rahul Tewatia scalped a wicket each to keep KKR’s run-flow in check. On the back of Eoin Morgan’s vital cameo of 23-ball 34, Kolkata ultimately managed to post a challenging total of 174 runs.

Meanwhile, RR star Robin Uthappa could be in trouble due to his actions during the game. The veteran was spotted applying saliva on the ball while fielding during the first innings. In the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, the sport has undergone significant changes including the much-debated saliva ban.

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— Cow Corner (@CowCorner9) September 30, 2020

In June, the ICC had announced an interim ban on applying saliva to the ball to curb the risk of coronavirus transmission. The players, however, have been allowed to use sweat to shine the ball.

The incident took place in the third over

Since the ban, there have been many instances where players have inadvertently used saliva on the ball. Similarly, Uthappa also forgot the rule and used saliva on the ball against KKR. The incident took place on the fifth ball of the third over of KKR’s innings.

Riders’ opener Sunil Narine, in an attempt to clear mid-on, lofted the ball which went straight to Uthappa’s hands. It was an easy catch but he ended up dropping it. After giving Narine a lifeline, Uthappa was seen applying saliva on the ball before handing it to the bowler. Uthappa’s unintentional mistake might land him in trouble if the authorities slap him with a fine.

Uthappa, over the years, was a part of the Kolkata side before shifting his base to Rajasthan Royals. The right-hander had a woeful outing last year as he managed to score just 282 runs in 12 outings at a modest strike-rate of 115.10.

After being released by the franchise, 34-year-old Uthappa was snapped up by RR in IPL 2020 auction for INR 3 crores. A consistent performer in the league, he has more than 4000 runs under his belt while playing 117 IPL games.