RCB vs CSK: 'Had Ravindra Jadeja run straight...' - Kumar Sangakkara's bold take on all-rounder's obstructing the field dismissal

Rajasthan Royals (RR) Director of Cricket and Head Coach Kumar Sangakkara expressed his confidence and satisfaction at the umpire's decision on the controversial dismissal of Ravindra Jadeja for obstructing the field during the IPL 2024 match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Sangakkara, the former Sri Lankan captain, analyzed the incident and stressed that Jadeja made a huge change in his direction, which was also shown in his trajectory and was the key factor in deciding the CSK all-rounder’s dismissal at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on May 12.

The legendary batter noted that had Jadeja maintained his original route while returning to the crease, the outcome might have been different. However, the CSK all-rounder left the umpires with no choice but to declare him out by altering his angle and obstructing a potential run-out chance.

Kumar Sangakkara backs umpire's call on Ravindra Jadeja's dismissal

Sangakkara insisted that Jadeja's move to change his path had directly influenced the decision. However, the RR head coach admitted that there was no guarantee that Sanju Samson's throw would have hit the stumps, but the throw appeared to be flat and accurate.

The Sri Lankan legend says that the law states that any alteration in the batter's direction that obstructs the throw is counted for dismissal. He clarified that this rule was modified in recent years to address such situations, saying that even if the ball strikes the batter's body while running, it is considered out.

He said that the batters must be mindful of their running paths to prevent obstructions. Kumar Sangakkara said at the post-match press conference in Chennai: “The law says that if a batter changes his direction and gets in the way of the throw, it is considered an obstruction. The rule was changed for the same reason a few years back.

Even if you are (running) in the middle, and if the ball hits your body, it's considered out. Had he (Jadeja) run straight on the side where he stopped, it wouldn't have been a problem at all.”

What says the rule?

According to the game’s rule, law 37.1 of the MCC states, “either batter is out obstructing the field if, while the ball is in play, they wilfully attempt to obstruct or distract the fielding side by word or action.”

However, RR suffered a 5-wicket defeat against the defending champions in Chennai. It was the Royals’ third consecutive defeat in the ongoing IPL 2024. However, they remained in the second spot on the standings with 16 points, but a win over CSK could have made them Q beside them.

The Royals will face the table-topper Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their last league game on May 19 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) became the first team to qualify for the IPL 2024 playoffs by thrashing the Mumbai Indians (MI) in their last home game by 18 runs in a rain-curtailed game at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.