Trent Boult urges rule changes to revive conventional and reverse swing
Trent Boult said on November 14, 2026, in an exclusive IndiaToday.in interview in Abu Dhabi, while representing the Emirates Eagles in the Abu Dhabi T10 League, that swing bowling is a dying art and called for changes to restore balance in cricket.
Boult, a New Zealand left-arm quick who has built a reputation as one of the finest exponents of conventional swing in modern cricket, told IndiaToday.in that both conventional swing and reverse swing are on the decline and that changing conditions have made life harder for bowlers. He cited restrictions surrounding ball maintenance as a key factor affecting bowlers’ ability to generate movement.
Boult referenced the increased scrutiny on ball condition that followed the 2018 Sandpapergate scandal involving Australia, saying the ball-tampering controversy — which resulted in significant sanctions for Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft — brought greater attention to how the ball is maintained. He said that the subsequent emphasis on monitoring ball maintenance has added to the debate about generating reverse swing within the laws of the game.
On the limitations he faces, Boult said: "You're not allowed to throw the ball into the ground. As soon as the ball bounces more than twice into the ground, you're pulled up for that. You can't put saliva on the ball, and you can't exactly shine the ball," he explained. He added that he is not advocating shortcuts, but that the current regulations make it difficult to generate reverse swing naturally.
Boult described how watching reverse swing develop in Test cricket inspired him as a youngster and spoke about the specific effect that appealed to him. "One of the things I fell in love with was seeing the ball tail in towards left-handed batters. There were masters of it around the world back in the day. It was a trade that I fell in love with, so hopefully it definitely comes back at some point. How that happens, I'm not sure," he added.
Asked what changes he would introduce in T10 or T20 to restore balance, Boult proposed reducing the powerplay, potentially allowing an additional fielder outside the circle during the early overs, arguing that bowlers are often left with very little margin for error in that phase. He also suggested returning to the use of saliva on the ball and said: "I love seeing the ball swing around, so it would be nice to simply be able to use saliva on the ball. You're still not allowed to do that for some reason," he said.
Boult, 36, said he is enjoying the batter-friendly T10 format while playing for Emirates Eagles. "It's very exciting. I think it's obviously an action-packed format. It's nice and quick, and not too much damage can be done in two overs per bowler. Sometimes you have your day and sometimes you don't," he said, and the tournament represents his fourth year participating in the competition.
Boult discussed bowling to Kieron Pollard, who is set to take over as Mumbai Indians' coach, saying: "It would be my dream to bowl a swinging ball to Kieron Pollard. He's experienced beyond his years, knows how to play the game and knows exactly when to come into the batting order as well," and added that he is yet to speak to Pollard about the coaching role. Boult remains part of the Mumbai Indians franchise and could potentially share new-ball responsibilities with Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh in the upcoming IPL season; "They're world-class bowlers in their own right. I've obviously played enough cricket with Bums to know how good he is," he said, while stressing he is currently focused on his commitments in Abu Dhabi and enjoying life as a freelance cricketer.
Boult concluded by expressing a desire to see more swing and reverse swing in the game again, saying he hopes those elements return to becoming more common in Test cricket.
