Former Australia captain Ian Chappell proposed radical changes in the LBW laws, stating that a batsman should be given out leg-before as long as the ball is hitting the stumps irrespective of the spot of its landing and impact.

Chappell also said captains should agree on one way of working up the ball which will encourage swing bowling, even as the ICC is considering the use of artificial substances to shine the ball instead of sweat and saliva in post Covid-19 scenario.

“The new LBW law should simply say: ‘Any delivery that strikes the pad without first hitting the bat and, in the umpire’s opinion, would go on to hit the stumps is out regardless of whether or not a shot is attempted’,” he wrote in a column for EspnCricinfo.

“Forget where the ball pitches and whether it strikes the pad outside the line or not; if it’s going to hit the stumps, it’s out.”

The 76-year-old said the change in LBW law would attract expected criticism from the batsmen, but it would make the game fairer.

“There will be screams of horror, particularly from pampered batsmen, but there are numerous positives this change would bring to the game. Most important is fairness.

“If a bowler is prepared to attack the stumps regularly, the batsman should only be able to protect his wicket with the bat. The pads are there to save the batsman from injury, not dismissal.

“It would also force batsmen to seek an attacking method to combat a wrist-spinner pitching in the rough outside the right-hander’s leg stump,” said Chappell.

He cited Sachin Tendulkar’s example on how he negotiated Shane Warne’s round-the-wicket tactic during the 1997-98 Test series in India. “Contrast Sachin Tendulkar’s aggressive and successful approach to Shane Warne coming round the wicket in Chennai in 1997-98 with a batsman who kicks away deliveries pitching in the rough and turning in toward the stumps. Which would you rather watch?

“The current law encourages “pad play” to balls pitching outside leg, while this change would force them to use their bat. The change would reward bowlers who attack the stumps and decrease the need for negative wide deliveries to a packed off-side field,” he said.