Rule should be same for everyone. If it is applied to batsmen, same should be applicable for bowlers too. In any sport, which involves physical activity, keeping all your energy and strength throughout the game is a fine quality. But there are times when players may seek for replacement due to injury, dehydration etc. and cricket is the only game where you get help from your co-players.
Abolishing runner in cricket means strengthening the fielding side. Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar correctly said, “I would also like to suggest that there should be no water for bowlers at the boundary end. They bowl one over and come to the boundary where energy drinks are waiting for them”. So if batsman doesn’t get oxygen, bowler also doesn’t merit it. Even, in case a bowler is injured either he has to complete his over or that over should remain incomplete. And that’s how bowlers and batsmen would be treated evenly.
Also, it’s not that taking runner is always beneficial, most of the cases we have seen lack of co-ordination between batsman and runner and thereby getting dismissed by run-out. So runner in most of the cases is a least choice.
So you can’t simply do away with the runners, if you want a fairer game for each side (batting & fielding), you have to have holistic view. A rule should protect the interest of both the bowler and batsman uniformly.
Like all other recent changes/rules, I believe, this rule also will live for a shorter period…:)).
