Cricket News

Bowlers should be given…’ – Former India coach gives his solution for free hit saga from India-Pakistan game

India registered a memorable win against Pakistan by four wickets but what stole the spotlight was when Virat Kohli was awarded three runs off the free hit ball despite being bowled sparked a lot of reactions on social media.

Former Australian captain Greg Chapell has said that it is time to rewrite the cricketing laws. He went on to say that if a ball even goes past the bat and hits the stumps it should be declared dead immediately in favour of the bowler. The bowler should be given a some leeway as the game is heavily loaded in favour of the batters.

A waist high no ball and then three runs of the ricochet off the stumps on the free- hit helped India script a famous win over Pakistan. The other side of the debate is that if the batter is bowled off the free- hit and if the ball is declared dead then it would imply that no more runs can be scored of that ball. 

What more can a bowler do?-  Greg Chapell

“I would review that rule to give the bowler credit for the dead ball if he is good enough to beat the bat and hit the stumps,” Chappell wrote in his column for ‘The Sydney Morning Herald’.

“As for the three byes off the stumps, one must ask: is that really what the tour conditions are trying to achieve? In a game where the balance is already well in favour of the batsman, what more is a bowler meant to do? “If a bowler is good enough to bowl the perfect yorker, as Nawaz did, why does he need to be punished any further? (It is much like NZ being punished for accidental overthrows from the opponents bat which cost them the 50-over World Cup Final at The Oval in 2019.),” he wrote.

The laws of cricket framed by the MCC elucidates that – “20.1.1.1 it is finally settled in the hands of the wicket-keeper or of the bowler.“20.1.1.2 a boundary is scored.“20.1.1.3 a batter is dismissed. The ball will be deemed to be dead from the instant of the incident causing the dismissal.”