No fun in cricket if bouncers are banned, says Sehwag

'I have been hit on the helmet quite a few times by bouncers. But if you remove the bouncers, the bowlers will lose one weapon'

Former India opener Virender Sehwag says there will be ‘no fun in cricket’ if fast bowlers are banned from bowling bouncers.

"If you cut out the bouncers then there is no fun in the game of cricket," said the swashbuckling batsman in Mumbai, on Tuesday, at the launch of the ICC Cricket World Cup Trophy tour in India.

He was speaking in the wake of Phil Hughes’s tragic death.

The Australia batsman died in a Sydney hospital last week, two days after being struck on the head during a domestic match by a short-pitched delivery from New South Wales pacer Sean Abbott.

Sehwag, 36, said while Hughes’s death was unfortunate, batsmen always have the option of leaving short balls if they are unable to deal with them.

"It is really sad that he died in such a way while playing the pull shot and was hit on the back of the head. It is a part of cricketing life. If you are playing any sport, injuries will come and maybe you can die also. But, as a batsman, you have an option to duck under it," he added.

Sehwag, who featured in 104 Tests and 251 One-Day Internationals, is regarded as one of the most dangerous batsmen of his era, having scored over 8000 runs in Tests and One-day Internationals at a very good strike rate.

He pointed out that he too had a problem with short balls and was hit on the helmet a few times.

"I have been hit on the helmet quite a few times by bouncers. But if you remove the bouncers, the bowlers will lose one weapon and there won’t be as much fun in cricket."