"Batsman Should Stick To Crease": Javagal Srinath In Favour Of Mankading

Former India fast bowler and ICC match referee Javagal Srinath has spoken in favour of mankading as it is well within the rules. The mankading debate ignited again after Delhi Capitals’ head coach Ricky Ponting said that he will speak to premier spinner Ravichandran Ashwin about not using the technique as it is not in the spirit of the game.

His comments opened up the pandora’s box with many from the cricket fraternity coming up with various opinions. Srinath however feels that if the batsman is taking undue advantage and he is involved in run out, its absolutely correct, and the rules have been set and reiterated a lot of times.

“The bowler is focusing on the batsman [as he bowls]. For the batsman [at the non-striker’s end] to stick to his crease till the ball is released is no big deal, because he’s not batting, nor is he thinking of anything else,” Srinath told Ashwin on his Youtube show ‘DRS With Ash’. “So the batsman shouldn’t leave the crease and the bowler should focus on just bowling and the batsman he’s going to bowl to.

“If the batsman is taking undue advantage, and if he’s involved in a run-out, I am fine. I am perfectly okay with that. The rules have been set and reiterated many times. It is not about T20, but every format of the game. The onus is on the batsman to stick to the crease until the ball has been delivered. That’s the best way to look into it,” he added.

According to the rules mankading is well within the limits. The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) rule book, the 41.16 Law says: Non-striker leaving his/her ground early states, “If the non-striker is out of his/her ground from the moment the ball comes into play to the instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball, the bowler is permitted to attempt to run him/her out. Whether the attempt is successful or not, the ball shall not count as one in the over.