Watch: Shreyas Iyer earned a lucky reprieve on Day 1 of the Bangladesh-India Chattogram Test, after missing a delivery that clipped his stumps, only for the bails to move back into place and save him.
Iyer, along with Cheteshwar Pujara, led India’s resistance against Bangladesh for the most part of the opening day, sharing a 149-run stand that took India towards a respectable total. The side had been reduced to 48-3, and then 112-4, as Bangladesh kept chipping away at the visitors’ batting lineup.
Along the way, Iyer – who was eventually dismissed on 86 – enjoyed a big slice of luck. In the 86th over, Ebadot Hossain angled in a length ball that seemingly kept a bit low. Iyer, undone by the lack of bounce, missed it, and the ball clipped his stumps, giving a clearly audible rattle.
Hossain nearly began to celebrate, but couldn’t believe his luck when another look revealed that the bails had remained intact. Replays showed that the ball had kissed the off-stump, and the electronic bails had even moved out of the girdle – one of them lighting up – only to fall back into place. Interestingly, a fresh pair of bails had been installed only three balls ago, due to a malfunction in the previous set.
According to Law 29.1 of the MCC Laws of cricket, the bail has to be fully dislodged to be considered a dismissal. The law says: “The wicket is broken when at least one bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps, or one or more stumps is removed from the ground.”
Among others, former India opener Aakash Chopra wasn’t pleased with the incident, tweeting: “Zing Bails are a bit of a joke…Honestly…if it lights up, it should be OUT”
Zing Bails are a bit of a joke…
Honestly…if it lights up, it should be OUT. #BanvInd— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) December 14, 2022
Hossain eventually had his revenge, albeit the following day, cleaning up Iyer for 86.
