‘It’s out only in gully cricket’ – Ravichandran Ashwin stunned after Manipur batter given out for ‘hitting the ball twice’

Ravichandran Ashwin. (Photo Source: IPL/CSK)

A recent controversial dismissal of Manipur’s Lamabam Ajay Singh during a Ranji Trophy Plate League match against Meghalaya has grabbed immense attention. The incident has left players, officials, and fans stunned. Ajay was given out for ‘hitting the ball twice’, one of the rarest dismissals in cricket. The incident not only brought back discussions around the law but also prompted a reaction from legendary Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin.

The unusual dismissal occurred on Tuesday in Surat, where Manipur were battling to stay in the game after conceding an 88-run first-innings lead. Ajay, looking to stabilize the innings, defended a delivery from left-arm spinner Aryan Bora. However, as the ball rolled back towards the stumps, instinctively, Ajay swung his bat again, attempting to keep it away from the wickets.

According to MCC Law 34, a batter is out if they deliberately hit the ball a second time while it is still in play, unless the second strike is solely to protect the stumps. Ajay’s intention seemed to be just that, but umpire Dharmesh Bhardwaj adjudged that he had struck the ball wilfully, leading to an immediate appeal and his dismissal. Shockingly, neither Ajay nor the Manipur team contested the decision, and the batter walked off without protest. Reacting to the bizarre dismissal, Ashwin shared his own experience and also said that Ajay should not have been dismissed under the actual laws.

Before Ajay, the last batter to be dismissed this way in Ranji Trophy cricket was Dhruv Mahajan of Jammu & Kashmir in 2005-06. Only three others, K. Bavanna (1963–64), Shahid Parvez (1986–87), and Anand George (1998–99), have ever been given out in this manner in the tournament’s history.

Officials at the venue revealed that Ajay “could’ve padded it away” but instead chose to block the ball with his bat, prompting the umpire to apply the law strictly. Had Manipur appealed the ruling, he could have been declared not out, but the moment passed quickly as Ajay accepted the decision.

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