Why Mankading, why not Browned, asks Sunil Gavaskar
MUMBAI: Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar has called for removing ‘Mankading’ from cricket lexicon as it is disrespectful to the great India all-rounder, Vinoo Mankad.
The late Mankad, regarded among India’s finest all-rounders, was the first to run out a batsman at the non-striker’s end, for leaving the crease before the ball was bowled, in a Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on the 1947-48 tour.
The term ‘Mankading’ was coined by the Australian media, which criticised him for what it regarded as an unsporting act, although Mankad’s action was justified even by Don Bradman, who pointed to the rule book, as well as Bill Brown, the batsman who was dismissed.“For the life of me, I can’t understand why (the press) questioned his sportsmanship,” Bradman wrote in his autobiography Farewell to Cricket, according to cricket.co.au website. “The laws of cricket make it quite clear that the nonstriker must keep within his ground until the ball has been delivered.”
Gavaskar said the term should be changed to ‘Browned’, after Brown, because it was the batsman, and not the bowler, who was at fault. “I have grave objections to that (using the term Mankading) because it’s putting one of India’s cricketing legends in a bad light,” Gavaskar said during a chat on Sony TV.
The Marylebone Cricket Club, custodians of cricket laws, last week announced a change that will take effect in October. It said: “It is often the bowler who is criticised for attempting such a run out, but it is the batsman who is attempting to gain an advantage. The message to the non-striker is very clear — if you do not want to risk being run out, stay within your ground until the bowler has released the ball.”
MCC has changed cricket rule 41.16 from “bowler attempting to run out nonstriker before delivery” to “non striker leaving his/her ground early”.
Gavaskar said: “If it has to be referred by somebody’s name, it should be the non-striker, who, despite being warned twice by Mr Mankad ... he left (the crease). The third time was when Mankad removed the bails and suddenly there was an uproar. Our legend’s name should not be spoiled.” Mankad played 44 Tests, scoring 2109 at 31.47, which included four centuries with a career-best 231. He claimed 162 wickets bowling left-arm spin.