New rules on bat will not hit hard hitters: David Warner

Bengaluru: Ahead of the fourth one-day match between India and Australia, the new norm of ICC rules that restricts cricket bat width and weight came for discussion today.Speaking to reporters, Indian spinner Yazuvenra Chahal said there was no new decision taken by the team, as it was not concerned much with the bat size.

The Indian team has not taken any decision on replacing cricket bats as per the new ICC norms.Meanwhile, the Australian batsman David Warner when asked the same question earlier by journalists said he was using a new bat to get in tune with it soon.'But there is not much difference in bat dimensions,' he said.

According to the new rules, which will be in place from September 28, the 4th ODI match between Australia and India, the bat dimensions have been reconfigured to an edge limit of 40mm and depth of 67mm (60mm for the depth plus an allowance of 7mm for a possible curve on the face of the bat).

Warner's T20I bat reportedly exceeds the depth specification by 18mm.But Warner said he was already using the bat since Bangladesh series two weeks ago and it did not make much difference.'I changed the bat, that I started the batting career with.I told the same thing to my bat maker,' Warner said.

When asked the same question Chahal merely said there was no such discussion in the team.Warner said if the big bats aide hitting sixes, it was not correct.It all depends on the batsman and the pitch."We are misled by the size of the bat that clear the fence.Ultimately, it is the strength what we have been given (by birth), and it (bat) will not make much difference,' he said.(UNI)