NEW DELHI: A rare incident on Friday during the Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match between Mumbai and Jammu & Kashmir at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) ground in Mumbai raised more eyebrows on the umpiring standards in domestic cricket.
In an unusual sequence of events on Day 2, Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane was recalled to the crease nearly five minutes after being dismissed and entering the dressing room, following a third umpire review that confirmed a no-ball by the bowler – Umar Nazir.
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The drama unfolded in the 25th over of Mumbai’s second innings. J&K pacer Umar Nazir bowled a short delivery that cramped Rahane, forcing a mistimed pull shot that gloved through to the wicketkeeper. Rahane was promptly given out and walked back to the dressing room, with Shardul Thakur stepping out to replace him.
However, the situation took a turn when the on-field umpires received confirmation from the third umpire that Nazir had overstepped. In a rare intervention, the umpires sent Thakur back and asked Rahane to return to the crease.
Rahane, visibly confused, later learned from the umpires that they had signaled him to wait for a no-ball check, but the Mumbai captain hadn’t heard the communication amidst the commotion.
As per the rules, the recall is valid up to the moment the ball comes into play for the next delivery.
But Rahane was dismissed just an over later. The same bowler, Nazir, bowled a full delivery outside off, and Rahane’s uppish drive was spectacularly caught by J&K captain Paras Dogra at mid-off, leaving no room for a second recall.
For the defending champions Mumbai, Shardul Thakur spearheaded their resurgence with an unbeaten century. Thakur’s second first-class hundred, alongside a robust 173-run partnership with Tanush Kotian for the eighth wicket, took Mumbai to 274/7 at stumps. Thakur remained unbeaten on 113 (119 balls, 17 fours), with Kotian contributing 58 off 119 balls.
Mumbai now hold a lead of 188 runs, having recovered from a precarious position at 101/7 in their second innings.