Rajasthan Royals' English batsman Jos Buttler speaks out on controversial run out; says Mankading law needs more clarity
Rajasthan Royals batsman Jos Buttler (left) reacts after being 'Mankaded' by KXIP captain R Ashwin during an IPL match in Jaipur on March 25. Pic/PTI
Jos Buttler believes his controversial dismissal in Rajasthan Royals' first game of the IPL season was 'probably the wrong decision', adding that the current wording of the laws governing run-outs at the non-striker's end are a bit 'wishy-washy', needing further clarification.
"Of course a Mankading has to be in the laws of the game because a batsman can't just run halfway down the pitch trying to get a headstart," Buttler told ESPNcricinfo. "But I do think the way the law is written, there is a bit of a grey area in that saying 'when a bowler is expected to release the ball'. That is a bit of a wishy-washy statement."
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England batsman Buttler was 'Mankaded' by Kings XI Punjab captain R Ashwin at a crucial moment in the match that Rajasthan went on to lose. The manner of the dismissal created ripples across the cricketing fraternity and beyond, with many former greats of the game lambasting the Indian off-spinner for breaching the 'spirit of the game'.
Buttler said it set 'a bad precedent at the start of the tournament'. "At the time I was really disappointed with it. I didn't like the style of it. I just thought it was a bad precedent at the start of the tournament. For the tournament itself. It was a really disappointing way to start the tournament," he said.
The current wording of Law 41.16 states: "If the non-striker is out of his/her ground at any time from the moment the ball comes into play until the instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball, the non-striker is liable to be run out".
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