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Out-of-favour India batter Ajinkya Rahane was adjudged out for obstructing the field during Mumbai’s final Ranji Trophy league game against Assam on Friday. The incident took place in the final over before the tea break with Rahane batting on 18. He hit Assam pacer Dibakar Johri’s delivery down to mid-on for a single. However, Shivam Dube, at the non-striker’s end, refused to take the single, and Rahane had to scamper back. Assam captain Denish Das threw the ball to the keeper’s end, which struck Rahane as he attempted to return to the crease.
The Assam players appealed for obstructing the field, and the umpire gave Rahane his marching orders. The umpire then called for Tea with two balls remaining in the 25th over.
However, Assam withdrew the appeal during the tea break. According to the law, the appeal needs to be withdrawn before the next ball is bowled and if the umpire accepts, the player will be called back to the crease.
Mumbai all-rounder Shardul Thakur later told ESPNcricinfo that Rahane was reluctant to bat again “because his ethics didn’t allow him”.
“We were playing the video [in the dressing room] and all we saw was he turned and he was running in a straight line,” Shardul said after stumps on Day 1.
Thakur also revealed that the the Assam coach Trevor Gonsalves walked up to the Mumbai dressing room during the tea break to “apologise” for the appeal. Gonsalves also urged Rahane to resume batting after the break.
“They wanted to withdraw the appeal and since it was tea time, they couldn’t convey it immediately but their coach walked up to us and he said, ‘we apologise for the appeal because it was in the heat of the moment and we want to withdraw the appeal.’ He conveyed the same thing to the umpires also and probably it was mutually agreed that Rahane would go on to bat. But Ajinkya was not keen on going back again because he said once he’s given out, it’s out. But we convinced him that if it’s not out then you can go and bat again and if you do that, it’ll be for the team. His ethics didn’t allow him to do that but for the team it was needed that he goes back again and bats,” he added.
While Rahane did eventually came out to bat, he failed to make the most opportunity, getting out to the same bowlers four overs after Tea.
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