BIPIN DANI
On last Tuesday, Team India captain Rohit Sharma did exactly opposite to what Sri Lankan spinner Suraj Randiv did in 2010 to ensure that opener Virender Sehwag misses out his hundred. He bowled a last ball no ball, thus Sehwag remained Not Out on 99, though India could win the match.
Lanka spinner Dasun Shanaka could get a hundred, thanks to Rohit Sharma, who withdrew the run out appeal when pacer Shami had run Shanaka (he was on 98 then) out at the non-striker's end for backing up too far.
India was already in a winning position then. Whether Sharma could have shown the same gesture otherwise?
"Yes, Rohit could have shown the same gesture irrespective of the match. Rohit is a good sportsman and he has shown this spirit (withdrawing appeal) in the IPL also", his coach, Dinesh Lad says.
Rohit's gesture has well been appreciated by former Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya and Angelo Mathews.
"To put an end to this problem, I think umpires can take a call by warning the batsman not to leave the crease earlier. If he repeats it, caught red handed or by the third umpire then he should be declared out after a couple of warnings", says India's former chief selector MSK Prasad.
"This will put an end to the embarrassment causing out of this kind of dismissal, especially to the bowler who is always at receiving end though he is right as per laws of the game". "It should be like out when a batsman is sent home for running on the pitch despite warnings".
"The situation was well managed by Rohit Sharma", opines Lanka team manager Mahinda Halangoda.
