Former India opener Virender Sehwag’s latest tweet has left fans on social media in splits. After the Marylebone Cricket Club, the guardians of cricket laws, on Tuesday changed the act of running out a non-striker for backing up too far from unfair to run out status, Sehwag took to Twitter and tagged Ravichandran Ashwin in a post to congratulate the offspinner.
Running out of batters at the non-striker’s end has sparked controversy in the past. Ashwin came under the spotlight back in 2019 when he dismissed Jos Buttler during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match in the same fashion.
Indicating that, Sehwag took to micro-blogging site and said Ashwin will now have “full freedom” to plot run outs with the England wicketkeeper-batter.
“Congratulations @ashwinravi99, great week this one. First becoming second highest wicket taker in Tests for India, and now this. Ab full freedom (Now you have complete freedom) to plot such run-outs with Buttler. Ek karna zaroor (Be sure to do one),” Sehwag tweeted.
Congratulations @ashwinravi99great week this one. First becoming second highest wicket taker in Tests for India, and now this. Ab full freedom to plot such run-outs with Buttler.Ek karna zaroor 😊 https://t.co/oCjfYdr6nr— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) March 9, 2022
While Sehwag chose to look at the lighter side of it, veteran England pacer Stuart Broad didn’t welcome the MCC’s amendment in the law.
“So the Mankad is no longer unfair & is now a legitimate dismissal. Hasn’t it always been a legitimate dismissal & whether it is unfair is subjective? I think it is unfair & wouldn’t consider it, as IMO, dismissing a batter is about skill & the Mankad requires zero skill,” wrote Broad on Twitter.
So the Mankad is no longer unfair & is now a legitimate dismissal.Hasn’t it always been a legitimate dismissal & whether it is unfair is subjective?
I think it is unfair & wouldn’t consider it, as IMO, dismissing a batter is about skill & the Mankad requires zero skill. https://t.co/TuVLuHNDLn
— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) March 9, 2022
Until now, ‘Mankading’ was treated as an unfair mode of dismissal but it has now been moved to Law 38, which concerns run-outs. “Law 41.16 – running out the non-striker – has been moved from Law 41 (Unfair play) to Law 38 (Runout). The wording of the Law remains the same,” said the MCC on Wednesday about the change to come into effect from October 1.
(With Agency Inputs)
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