- Tuesday, February 25, 2025
It was the second time that a batter from India committed the offence, after Ravindra Jadeja was warned over the same on the first day of the match.
By: Shubham Ghosh
THE second day’s play in the third Test between India and England witnessed dramatic scenes as the on-field umpires penalised the home team by awarding their opponents five runs after their batters ran on the middle of the pitch for the second time.
The penalty meant the visitors started their first innings at five for no loss without a ball being bowled.
The incident happened when veteran spinner-all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin ran along the middle of the surface and umpire Joel Wilson stepped in to reprimand him and handed India a five-run penalty.
Wilson was seen talking to Ashwin following the third delivery of the 102nd over of the Indian innings. Previously, India’s another spinner-all-rounder had also committed the same offence on Day 1 at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium.
Ashwin gently worked the ball off England spinner Rehan Ahmed and started for a single without noticing where he was running. He was sent back by his partner Dhruv Jurel, who made his debut in the game. But the umpire had taken cognizance of the act by then. The umpire had warned Jadeja, who scored a century (112) in the match on the first day, over the same.
Read: Twin tons from Rohit, Jadeja help India overcome early troubles vs England
According to MCC’s law 41.14.1, which comes under Unfair Play section, “It is unfair to cause deliberate or avoidable damage to the pitch. If the striker enters the protected area in playing or playing at the ball, he/she must move from it immediately thereafter.
“A batter will be deemed to be causing avoidable damage if either umpire considers that his/her presence on the pitch is without reasonable cause.”
Read: England have great chance to win India Test series in Kohli’s absence, feels Broad
The law further also states that a team will receive “a first and final warning”, which will apply throughout the innings.
If the offence is repeated by any team member during the same innings, the batting side will be awarded a five-run penalty and it was the home team which was at the receiving end this time.
India were all out for 445 in their first innings after Jasprit Bumrah (26) and Mohammed Siraj (3 not out) added 30 runs for the final wicket after Ashwin (37) and Jurel (46) added 77 runs for the sixth wicket.
On the first day, home team captain Rohit Sharma slammed 131 to add 203 runs with Jadeja after their side was reduced to 33 for 3.
For the Three Lions, pacer Mark Wood, who is playing his first game of the series, was the most successful bowler with four wickets for 114 runs. Ahmed picked two while James Anderson, Tom Hartley and Joe Root got one each.
