Although the International Cricket Council (ICC) has made the non-striker runouts a legitimate dismissal, a section of cricket fans as well as experts cannot get over the fact that it’s a rule now as they continue to hold players who use it to their advantage guilty of going ‘against the spirit of the game’. The latest example was India’s Deepti Sharma who was the centre of criticism for many when she ran out Charlie Dean of England to hand India a victory.
A fresh new debate started post that incident with the cricket fraternity divided into two groups – one who found it perfectly fine, the other who found it ‘against the spirit of the game’. Players were asked about it as well. While a few said that they are okay with it, a few said they would never do it. However, a reaction from anyone from the Indian men’s cricket team was eagerly awaited and finally, someone has spoken up.
Hardik Pandya has finally talked about what he thinks about running the non-striker out. The India all-rounder has said that people should stop making a fuss about it. No one should be bothered about the spirit of the game as it’s a rule. “We need to stop making a fuss about this. It’s a rule – [as] simple as that,” Hardik said on the ICC Review podcast. “To hell with the spirit of the game. If it’s there, [then] remove the rule – as simple as that. The ones who have a problem, good for them; it’s fine.”
“Personally, I have no problem. If I am walking out [of the crease], and someone runs me out – fair enough. It’s my mistake, not the bowler’s. He is taking the rules to his advantage – [as] simple as that. That’ll not make a big deal”, he concluded.
