“Mankad requires zero skill”: Stuart Broad opines ‘Mankad’ as unfair; cast aspersions on the dismissal after MCC moves it to run-out category

Stuart Broad opines ‘Mankad’ as unfair after the MCC moves it from the ‘unfair play’ category to the ‘run out’ category.

As part of a new set of law changes, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on Wednesday, ruled that ‘Mankad’ dismissals would cease to continue under the ‘unfair play’ category and would rather move to the ‘run out’ category, with the same to come into effect from October 2022. (read MCC’s statement on the same here)

The ‘Mankad’- where a bowler runs-out a batter at the non-striker’s end in his/her delivery stride for backing up too far, was named after former India all-rounder Vinoo Mankad after he effected two dismissals in a similar manner against Australia in 1947/48.

While it was always a legitimate form of dismissal, the same was deemed by some sections of the Cricketing fraternity as an act performed by a bowler against the ‘spirit of the game’.

Moreover, there were also calls for un-naming the mode of dismissal from ‘Mankad’ or ‘Mankading’ as it was an inappropriate way of remembering one of the greats of Indian Cricket.

Stuart Broad opines ‘Mankad’ as unfair

Veteran England bowler Stuart Broad, unimpressed with MCC’s new ruling, disapproved of the same while stating that he’d personally never run a batter Out in such a manner.

Broad took to his social media handle to remark that while the fairness or unfairness of the mode of dismissal is subjective, he does consider it unfair, because dismissing a batter requires skill, and Mankad requires no skill.

So the Mankad is no longer unfair & is now a legitimate dismissal.

Hasn’t it always been a legitimate dismissal & whether it is unfair is subjective?

I think it is unfair & wouldn’t consider it, as IMO, dismissing a batter is about skill & the Mankad requires zero skill. https://t.co/TuVLuHNDLn

— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) March 9, 2022

The issue became a subject for intense debate ever since India’s premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was heavily criticized for having ‘run-out’ England wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler in a similar fashion during the 2019 edition of the IPL.

On the flip side, there is also a huge section of fans and experts of the game, who have welcomed the MCC’s move which penalizes the non-striker from having an added advantage in terms of covering a lesser distance while completing a run.

Running a non-striker out for backing up too far has been moved from “unfair play” to “run-out” in the laws of the game. About time. Question is: why was it in the unfair play section at all when it was the non-striker who was carrying out an unfair act?

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 9, 2022

For more Cricket-related news, click here.