India wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan attempted to give New Zealand captain Tom Latham a taste of his own medicine in the ongoing first ODI at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium tonight. Kishan not only emulated Latham for fun but also appealed against a potential hit-wicket dismissal.
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With square leg umpire Nitin Menon rightly asking for third umpire KN Ananthapadmanabhan’s involvement, replays confirmed that neither Latham nor his bat was anywhere close to the stumps as he defended his first ball of the innings off the back foot against India spinner Kuldeep Yadav. As a result, Latham was rightly adjudged “Not Out”.
Sunil Gavaskar rebukes Ishan Kishan for Tom Latham hit wicket appeal
Kishan, in fact, dislodged the bails from the stumps on purpose to register an act of jocularity which he was seen enjoying in the middle. Knowing that he would’ve never been successful in dismissing Latham in such a way, Kishan appealing to Menon has it in it to him being reprimanded at the end of the match.
Playing his first ODI of the year, Kishan was at the receiving end of severe disapproval from legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar. Calling the match for host broadcaster Star Sports, Gavaskar rebuked Kishan from the commentary box speaking on the lines of Kishan’s act oozing immaturity and lacking sense in reality. “That’s not cricket,” Gavaskar said with respect to Kishan’s wastage of time.
As far as Latham is concerned, the 30-year old player was guilty of dislodging the bails twice during the Indian innings earlier in the day. Having said that, neither of Latham’s dual instances saw him touching the bails intentionally.
It is true that India vice-captain Hardik Pandya was dismissed due to Latham’s wicket-keeping gloves touching a bail but Ananthapadmanabhan was more at fault for not spotting it despite watching multiple replays. Latham, meanwhile, was as shocked as everyone to see the third umpire ruling Pandya out in the 39th over of the first innings.
