Cricket
Mankading in Cricket: Famous Cases and Rules
From Vinoo Mankad to Ravichandran Ashwin, cricket has seen a few bowlers who have mankaded batters over the years
Rajasthan Royals' Ravichandran Ashwin//Getty Images
One among the many modes of dismissals in cricket is mankading. But unlike a few other forms of dismissals, mankading is considered highly controversial. In this method of dismissal, the bowler runs out the non-striker before delivering the ball. In other words, when the batter at the non-striker’s end is backing up too far in front of the crease, the bowler can run him run him/her out before he/she gets back into their crease. Although mankading is part of the Laws of Cricket, it is considered controversial and unsporting for a few reasons. The term "mankading" comes from Indian cricketer Vinoo Mankad. In a 1947 Test match in Sydney, he ran out Australia’s Bill Brown in this manner. Though the dismissal was within the laws, many saw it as unsporting.
Cricket fans and pundits are often divided in their views of mankading. Some believe it is fair because it stops batters from gaining an unfair advantage and is within the rules of the game. Others say it goes against the spirit of the game as batters usually step out of their crease unintentionally rather than trying to gain an unfair advantage. Some opine that mankading is acceptable only if the batter warned the non-striker before attempting it, or executed it before withdrawing the appeal. Due to the controversial nature of the dismissal, some bowlers avoid it, while others use it.
Mankading Rules in Cricket
The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which is the custodian of cricket laws, has changed the mankading law multiple times over the years. MCC made a change to the law in March 2022 and put it under the 'run-out' section from the 'unfair play' section.
Later it modified the laws again. These updated laws (Law 38.3) came into effect on January 2023. According to these laws, a non-striker can be run out if they leave their crease before the bowler is expected to release the ball. The bowler can dismiss them by hitting the stumps with the ball or their hand holding the ball. However, once the bowler's arm reaches its highest point in the delivery, they can no longer run out the non-striker. This is what the current law says:
38.3.1 At any time from the moment the ball comes into play until the instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball, the non-striker is liable to be run out if he/she is out of his/her ground. In these circumstances the non-striker will be out run out if he/she is out of his/her ground when his/her wicket is put down by the bowler throwing the ball at the stumps or by the bowler’s hand holding the ball, whether or not the ball is subsequently delivered.
38.3.1.1 The instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball is defined as the moment the bowler’s arm reaches the highest point of his/her normal bowling action in the delivery swing.
38.3.1.2 Even if the non-striker had left his/her ground before the instant at which the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball, once the bowler has reached that point it is no longer possible for the bowler to run out the non-striker under this Law.
Famous Mankading Incidents in Cricket
Vinoo Mankad vs. Bill Brown (1947)
In 1947, Indian bowler Vinoo Mankad dismissed Australia's Bill Brown by removing the bails at the non-striker's end before delivering the ball, as Brown was out of the crease. This act led to the term "mankading." While this dismissal was widely criticised, Don Bradman, who was the captain of the Australian team at the time, defended it in his autobiography years later.
"The laws of cricket make it quite clear that the non-striker must keep within his ground until the ball has been delivered. If not, why is the provision there which enables the bowler to run him out?”, the legendary batter wrote in his autobiography.
"Mankad was an ideal type, and he was so scrupulously fair that he first of all warned Brown before taking any action. There was absolutely no feeling in the matter as far as we were concerned, for we considered it quite a legitimate part of the game."
Ravi Ashwin vs. Jos Buttler (2019)
In the 2019 Indian Premier League, Ravichandran Ashwin of Kings XI Punjab ran out Rajasthan Royals' Jos Buttler at the non-striker's end in his penultimate ball of his spell. This sparked a huge controversy among both fans, experts and former cricketers. While some supported it, others strongly opposed it primarily on the grounds of poor sportsmanship. Ashwin, in an interview with TOI, talked about the incident.
“When the incident happened, I think it was Jos who felt deflated about it and quite upset. Rightly so, because it's not accepted practice. It's not something that happens day in and day out. I can totally understand that. We'll have to wait and watch. But the pace at which the game is going, the professionals are evolving and how the players are perceiving the game, I just hope and wish that it is looked upon as a legitimate form of dismissal. But whether somebody chooses to do it, or not to do it, is entirely up to them and it's not a question of character assassination," he said.
Deepti Sharma vs. Charlie Dean (2022)
Deepti Sharma ran out England's Charlie Dean at the non-striker's end at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Stadium in September 2022. In this case, as per Deepti herself, the Indian team had warned Dean repeatedly, but she still stepped out of the non-striker’s crease.
“It was our plan because she repeatedly... we had warned her also. We did it according to the rules and guidelines. Wewe told the umpires. But still she was there so we couldn't do anything,” Deepti told ESPNcricinfo.
Spirit of Cricket Debate
We can look at mankading from different point of views. First, mankading is fair because it is within the rules of cricket's lawmakers. Second, mankading prevents unfair advantage because non-strikers leaving early can gain extra ground, which affects close run-out decisions. Third, just like a bowler can be penalized for overstepping, the rule should apply for batters too.
However, if we look at it from another point of view, mankading, some say, is against the spirit of the game. Cricket has long valued gentlemanly conduct, and mankading is seen as an unsporting act. Also, it can be seen as an easy or cheap way of dismissal, especially for veteran bowlers. Additionally, such dismissals almost always spark controversy and shift focus from cricket to debates and social media outrage. If non-strikers leaving early is unfair, penalties that are less harsh - like extra runs for the fielding side or a free ball - could be introduced.
Views of former and current cricketers on mankading
Like fans, former cricketers too are divided in their opinion of the dismissal. Take a look at what a few cricketers have said about mankading.
“I don’t think Ashwin has done the right thing at all, considering his stature and such a successful international career. He is such a big player and an act like this is very small,” former Indian cricketer Madan Lal said at an event. He was talking about Ashwin’s mankading of Buttler.
“If it is legal means to get a player out and ICC is completely in sync with it and MCC have said for the longest time that it is right to do it, then why is it that it's not accepted as a mode of dismissal? In what way is it different to a run out?”, Indian wicketkeeper batter Dinesh Karthik once opined.
England wicketkeeper batter Jos Buttler, who was mankaded by Ashwin, said, “No one wants to see them in the game because they always create such a talking point when it should be about the battle between bat and ball,” Buttler was quoted as saying by Press Association.
On the other hand, renowned commentator Harsha Bhogle one said, "Nothing in the laws though about warning. Just as there is nothing in the laws about a wicket-keeper warning a batsman for being out of the crease and not stumping him."
Conclusion
Mankading has sparked debate in modern cricket, with some seeing it as fair and others calling it unfair. While the dismissal is legal, opinions remain divided. It is unclear if it will become fully accepted or if the debate will continue in the future.
FAQs
While some see it as unsportsmanlike, the rules clearly allow it. It is the batter’s responsibility to stay inside the crease.
Yes, several times. Famous instances include Vinoo Mankad running out Bill Brown and Ravichandran Ashwin dismissing Jos Buttler in the IPL.
References
- 1
What the MCC laws say about mankading - https://www.lords.org/mcc/the-laws-of-cricket/run-out
- 2
Scorecard of the match in which Ravichandran Ashwin mankaded Jos Buttler - https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/ipl-2019-1165643/rajasthan-royals-vs-kings-xi-punjab-4th-match-1175359/full-scorecard
Chad Nagel is a passionate sports fanatic who has worked in the sports and betting industry for over a decade. He spent most of his career as an editor-in-chief for Soccer Betting News, South Africa’s leading soccer betting newspaper, owned by Hollywoodbets. His articles have also featured in some of the most respected sports media platforms in the world, such as SPORTbible, Sports Illustrated, Combat Sports UK, and many others.