Chennai Super Kings (CSK) all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was given out for obstructing the field during the Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Sunday (May 12) evening. Jadeja was adjudged out in a rather unconventional manner as he attempted to steal a second run with the match tantalisingly poised for a grandstand finish.
The incident transpired in the 16th over of the match with CSK requiring 22 runs for the win. Facing the penultimate ball of the over bowled by Avesh Khan, Jadeja bunted a short of good length delivery down to third man and called for a double.
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However, the fielder arrived on the ball early and released it to wicketkeeper Sanju Samson. Jadeja, meanwhile, set off for the second run, only to be sent back by skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad who had no interest in taking the extra run. Stranded in the middle of the pitch, Jadeja turned and attempted to make a late dash to the crease.
Samson, upon collecting the ball took a shy at the non-striker’s stump but only managed to hit Jadeja who was running in front of the stumps. The umpires went upstairs where the third umpire, after multiple replays, concluded that Jadeja had indeed changed his path deliberately to avoid getting runout.
While it looked like Jadeja had no choice to turn around and run in the trajectory he followed, third umpire Anil Chaudhary asserted that the CSK batter had looked behind for the throw from Samson and adjusted his position accordingly.
Clause 37.1.4 of the Laws of Cricket clearly lays down the conditions in which a batter can adjudged out for obstructing the field.
“For the avoidance of doubt, if an umpire feels that a batter, in running between the wickets, has significantly changed his direction without probable cause and thereby obstructed a fielder’s attempt to effect a run out, the batter should, on appeal, be given out, obstructing the field. It shall not be relevant whether a run out would have occurred or not,” reads the law.
CSK get over the line
Although CSK lost Jadeja at a crucial [point in the chase, the pair of Gaikwad and Sameer Rizvi managed to chalk off the remaining 20-odd runs to grant CSK their seventh win of the campaign and keep playoff hopes alive.
Bowling first, CSK restricted RR batters on a paltry total of 141 on what was a slow and tacky Chepauk pitch. Simarjeet Singh was the pick of the bowlers as he returned with figures of 3/26 in his stipulated quota of four overs.
Batters given out for obstructing the field in IPL:
1) Yusuf Pathan – 2013
2) Amit Mishra – 2019
3) Ravindra Jadeja – 2024
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