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Cricket PlayersBen Stokes suggests ultimate punishment for batters taking 'unfair advantage' by leaving crease early after Bishnoi act
CSK all-rounder Ben Stokes wants repercussions for batters trying to take undue advantage.
Last evening's IPL 2023 fixture between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Lucknow Super Giants ended in a humdinger with LSG winning, but it also reignited the much talked-about spirit of the game debate when Harshal Patel attempted to run out Ravi Bishnoi at the non-striker's end. Even before Harshal delivered the ball, Bishnoi, with one needed to win, was already out of his crease, and even though the RCB quick fumbled in taking off the bails, the discussion gained steam. While the MCC has already made this mode of dismissal legal, several experts and former cricketers feel it is not within the spirit of cricket. At the same time, there are those such as the legendary Brian Lara and Ravichandran Ashwin who reckon it is needed to stop the batter from gaining an 'unfair advantage'.
It seems that the latest to join the bandwagon is England Test captain Ben Stokes. The Chennai Super Kings all-rounder who is playing the IPL 2023 has come up with a rather harsh suggestion to curb batters from leaving the crease early. In reply to Harsha Bhogle's tweet, ' "Bishnoi was leaving his crease early. Any silly people out there still saying you shouldn't run the non-striker out?', Stokes feels the next time a batter leaves the non-striker crease before the ball is bowled, his team should be penalised six runs.
"Thoughts Harsha? Umpire's discretion... 6 penalty runs if obviously trying to gain unfair advantage by leaving crease early? Would stop batters doing it without all the controversy," he tweeted.
Stokes' tweet is a complete 360-degree turnaround from his previous stance on the matter. Last September, when the debate reopened with Deepti Sharma running out Charlotte Dean to win the match for India women by 16 runs, Stokes had engaged in a verbal duel with Bhogle after the incident triggered the 'Spirit of Cricket debate'.
"It is a cultural thing. The English thought it was wrong to do so & because they ruled over a large part of the cricket world, they told everyone it was wrong. The colonial domination was so powerful that few questioned it," Bhogle said in his viral Twitter thread. Taking cognisance of Bhogle's remarks against the English media, veteran all-rounder Stokes opted to lash out at the veteran Indian commentator in a series of tweets.
"Harsha... 2019 WC final was over 2 years ago, I still till this day revive countless messages calling me all sorts from Indian fans, does this disturb you? (sic)," Stokes tweeted. "Is this a culture thing?? Absolutely not, I receive messages regarding the overthrows from people all over world, as people all over the world have made comments on the Mankad dismissal, not just people who are English."
The topic first came into the limelight during the 2019 edition of the IPL, where playing for Punjab Kings, Ashwin ran out Rajasthan Royals batter Jos Buttler for backing too far at the non-striker end. The act was met with heavy criticism, and it gave birth to the 'Mankad' mode of dismissal since former India cricketer Vinoo Mankad was the first to inflict this dismissal during a Test match against Australia way back in 1947. However, ever since the MCC made it legal, it is officially referred to as a 'run out', even though some greats and websites continue to refer it as the 'Mankad'.
