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What also, if not always, underlines the overall impact a batter had in an inning isn’t just the number or amount of runs scored.
Rather it’s also the manner of dismissal of that particular batter.
And cricketing history is replete with several complicated instances wherein batsmen were either controversially given out or did something that made the wrong kinds of headlines.
So which are some of the top controversial dismissals:
Angelo Matthews being timed out
He was an important member of the Sri Lankan contingent during their not too memorable campaign in the 2023 World Cup in India.
But unfortunately the very able all-rounder was given timed out when he took more time than usual to walk out into the middle to carry on the duties for his national side. This happened during a critical group stage game versus Bangladesh.
And as it happened, Matthews became the first ever batter in one day cricket or limited overs cricket to be dismissed timed out.
Mohinder Amarnath dismissed for obstructing the field
It surely wasn’t the greatest of manners to be given out and it surely wasn’t the most popular dismissals for anyone who ever loved Team India and there are countless fans around the world in this present moment. But then back in the day, circa 1986, Mohinder Amarnath was given out for actually obstructing the ball after making just 15 runs against Australia in an important game at the MCG. Eventually India would go on to lose the game.
Sachin given LBW when the ball hit his shoulders
The year was 1999 and two arch rivals, India and Australia were locking horns at the famed Adelaide cricket ground. None other than the master blaster Sachin Tendulkar was out there in the middle batting confidently when something rather weird happened in the middle.
Glenn McGrath rushed into bowl and bowled a short one that actually hit Tendulkar, by that time, well set at the crease, on his shoulders.
But much to Tendulkar and his team’s dismay, the great right hander was adjudged leg before wicket by then umpire Daryl Harper. This was actually a shocker and the dismissal in the right sense of the word was shoulder before wicket, which isn’t even considered a fair mode of dismissal. The ball has to hit the batsman’s pads and not the shoulder.
Ashwin dismissing Buttler courtesy Mankading
In the 2017 tense content between Rajathan Royals and the Punjab Kings, noted off spinner R. Ashwin, clearly a legend of the game, made headlines and incited worldwide debate when he executed the “Mankading” dismissal to dismiss Jos Buttler, who had been out of his crease.
While mankading is within the rules of the bowler to disturb the stumps at the non striker’s end, which is exactly what happened with Ashwin when he found Buttler, then the non striker clearly outside the line at the bowling end, such a manner of dismissal hadn’t yet been resorted to in all these decades. But now, the bowlers are well within their rights to do so and the batters out to watch out.
Jaiswal’s controversial dismissal in Australia in 2024
During the fourth Test that India played in Australia during 2024 December, Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had been batting well and looked set up to that point, was given out caught behind during India’s run chase against the hosts.
The interesting thing to note there was the fact that the third umpire had adjudged him out despite upon seeing the reviews, the snicko-meter clearly found no edge.
Pat Cummins, the captain had appealed for the catch and the dismissal when given by the third umpired led to harsh criticism with the feeling being that India were extended a raw deal. The fans and even the great Rajeev Shukla considered the act as being in haste and totally unfair. This led to a widespread debate on social media as the left hander was batting so well on 84.
