IND vs NZ 2021: Certainly Not Unfair - MCC On Mayank Agarwal Fielding On His Knees During Kanpur Test

During the first Test between India and New Zealand, Mayank Agarwal and a couple of other Indian fielders were down on their knees while fielding. This was to give themselves a better chance to catch an edge that wasn’t carrying due to the nature of the pitch.

While it didn’t prove to be fruitful during the match, it is a strategy that anybody can use. The Laws of Cricket Advisor of the MCC, Jonny Singer, confirmed that it was completely fine for a fielder to be down on his knees.

“There is nothing in the laws to prevent a fielder fielding on his/her knees. In fact, this has become relatively common in recent years. Adopting a position on the knees, and maintaining it, is certainly not unfair,” Singer was quoted as saying by Midday.

The only way it is deemed illegal is if there is movement after the ball has been bowled. “If the fielder gets up or kneels down after the ball has come into play, then that might be considered to be a breach of Law 28.6.1. That would be for the umpire to decide,” Singer added.

It’s a toss-up between Mayank Agarwal and Ajinkya Rahane – Wasim Jaffer

Former cricketer Wasim Jaffer insisted that the return of Virat Kohli for the second Test will certainly keep either Ajinkya Rahane or Mayank Agarwal out of the team. It will be a tough decision for the team management and they have only three days to decide.

“It’s a toss-up between Mayank and Rahane. I would think on those two. That’s the toss-up that Virat Kohli has to make. Whether he wants to go with Agarwal and give him another go or whether [he thinks] Rahane hasn’t got enough runs in the last 10-12 Test matches after that Melbourne Test so he goes out. It’s a tough call, definitely a tough call. It depends on whom the sword falls on,” Jaffer said.

Both the batsmen were poor in the first Test but the likelier candidate to get the boot would be Rahane as the 34-year-old has been woefully out of form for a while now.

Also Read – IND v NZ 2021: ‘They Were Only Keen On Survival’- Sunil Gavaskar Slams New Zealand After Drawn 1st Test In Kanpur