Glenn Maxwell vows to keep switch hitting and says bowlers must evolve to stop him

As cricket greats call for the Glenn Maxwell switch-hit to be banned, a rule change could help protect bowlers and keep the technique in the game.

Long-time multiskill campaigner John Buchanan has called for the game to back Glenn Maxwell but believes a rule change is essential to protect bowlers.

Buchanan labelled Maxwell a “revolutionary” as the successful former Australian coach weighed into the polarising debate over whether the batsman’s switch-hit theatrics should be outlawed by the game and has added a new dimension to the argument.

While adamant Maxwell’s skills should be fostered and celebrated, Buchanan does believe administrators do need to make a simple tweak to the laws of the game which would help address the complaint put forward by Ian Chappell and Shane Warne that the switch hit is “unfair” to bowlers.

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Australia's Glenn Maxwell has been under fire for his ‘switch-hit’ technique, but he maintains it’s within the rules. Picture: AFP.

Buchanan’s solution is that if a batsman moves his stance to switch hit, the bowler should then not be penalised in the event they bowl a wide.

“One simple suggestion that will not discourage Glenn Maxwell to keep reverse hitting and experimenting with other revolutionary shot making, and will encourage bowlers to believe that the game still cares about them … is as soon as a batsman changes his or her position at the crease with either movement away from their facing position, or changing of grips to adopt a different way or direction of hitting, then wides and no balls to the bowler are nullified,” said Buchanan.

“Of course … a normal no ball will (still) occur as the ball passes the batsman (above the waist) in the ‘new’ position. And the integrity of the game from a wide perspective will be maintained by the two indicator lines adjacent to the stumps being the channel through which a ball must pass.

“And it will certainly make umpires adjudicating tasks much simpler.”

Buchanan’s suggestion at least means the batsman – who already has so much in their favour – from also benefiting from the extra protection of having changed what was originally their leg-side.

Former Australian and Queensland Cricket Coach John Buchanan says the rule change would allow the switch-hit to stay in the game without being unfair for bowlers. Picture: AAP.

The former coach is saying the bowler should therefore not be punished for drifting too far down either the new or old leg side – provided the delivery stays within the white tram line.

Buchanan says a key part of his coaching philosophy has been to encourage young kids to learn to be ambidextrous as much as possible with their sport, and believes Maxwell – with his amazing ability to launch 100 metre sixes off his reverse stance – can be a trailblazer for batsmen.

“… It is the revolutionists who shine a light on what needs changing in the game; and what the game does not need, due to its capacity to inflict injury, or its impact on the integrity and entertainment value of the game,” said Buchanan.

“I have always advocated for sport to encourage from an early age, children to use both sides of their body in whatever activity they undertake - not to be stereotyped into being right or left handed.

“The fundamental principle here is that it provides young children with all-round development not only physically which helps injury prevention; but also mentally as the brain receives additional stimulation in its development. There is plenty of scientific research these days that outlines these benefits.

“As a coach if I could … have players like Funky Miller, Andrew Symonds who could bowl medium pace and spin in the one over, then we had competitive advantage before taking the field.

“Imagine if as a coach you had two players in one – equally competent on one side or the other. Then pending the situation, the individual would choose which was the side of the body to use to be in best situation to win the moment of the game he or she was about to encounter.

“Eleven players on a cricket field becomes 12 or 13 or more.”

MAXWELL TAKES SWIPE AT SWITCH-HIT CRITICS

— Ben Horne, Joe Barton & Russell Gould

The cricket world is divided over Glenn Maxwell’s switch-hitting tactics, but the Victorian has declared it’s “within the laws” of the game and he will not change.

Maxwell stunned India with a 100m reverse slog sweep for six on Wednesday night, as Fox Cricket’s ratings peaked at 552,000 for the third ODI against India in Canberra.

The controversial tactic has been labelled “unfair” by greats Ian Chappell, Shane Warne and Rodney Hogg.

Hogg said the full switch-hit should be banned, while Warne said as a bowler “we have to nominate what hand we’re bowling with”.

Glenn Maxwell prepares for a switch-hit against India in the third ODI in Canberra. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“The reverse sweep, where you just change your hands, is fine but once you swap your feet around and start batting like a left-hander it is too much of an advantage,’’ Hogg said.

Maxwell defended the switch-hit, saying the onus was on bowlers to evolve the same way batsmen had.

“It’s within the laws,” Maxwell said.

“I think batting has evolved in such a way that it’s just got better and better over the years which is why we’re seeing these massive scores getting chased down and scores are going up.

“I suppose it’s up to the bowlers to try to combat that, and the skills of bowlers are being tested every day.”

“They’re (bowlers) having to come up with different change-ups and different ways to stop batters and with the way they shut down one side of the ground and whatnot.

“I suppose the way that batting is evolving, I think bowling has got to evolve to the same stage, so you see guys come up with knuckle balls and wide-yorker fields and different tactics.

“The tactics of one-day cricket have definitely evolved over the last little bit as well, so I just see it as a different part of the evolution of the game.”

Australian spinner Adam Zampa backed the tactic.

“It doesn’t really faze me to be honest. I think it’s a great skill to have. I’ve played enough now to realise one-day cricket and Twenty20 cricket is favoured towards the batsman and I think that’s fine,” Zampa said.

“That’s the spectacle that people want to see.”

Former Test quick Hogg said bowlers were disadvantaged when batsmen changed their stance.

“People say that’s unfair on the batsman but think of all the restrictions bowlers have on them,” Hogg said.

“It’s not as if a bowler can do what he wants and put nine men on the fence.”

“Say you switch-hit an off-spinner and you have six guys on one side of the field he is completely caught out. And bowlers have nothing up their sleeves to come back with.”

Spin legend Warne has called for debate on the tactic.

“As a bowler, we have to nominate what hand we’re bowling with and what side of the wicket we’re bowling (from),” Warne said on Fox Cricket.

“I’m not sure I like it. It’s worth a discussion, worth a debate.”

Ashton Agar (calf) had scans on Thursday night to determine if he could line-up in Friday’s first Twenty20 against India. Mitchell Starc (rib, back) looks likely to return. Mitchell Starc looks likely to return to the side from his rib and back niggle, but Marcus Stoinis (side strain) is still out.