Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s controversial dismissal for obstructing the field during Kolkata Knight Riders’s (KKR) clash against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Sunday has sparked a wider debate, not just about the law, but also the “spirit of the game” and whether LSG skipper Rishabh Pant should have withdrawn the appeal.The incident occurred when Raghuvanshi, attempting a quick single, was sent back and dived to make his ground as a throw came in from the infield. The ball struck him mid-dive, leading to an appeal from Mohammed Shami. After referral, the third umpire ruled him out, citing a change in running line.
As per IPL playing conditions (Clause 37.1.4), a batter can be given out if he “significantly changed his direction without probable cause and thereby obstructed a fielder’s attempt to effect a run out,” regardless of whether a run-out was likely.Speaking to Cricbuzz after the match, former India cricketer Rohan Gavaskar disagreed with the decision, saying, “I think it’s not out becuase when the ball came and the batter dived, he was not looking at the ball.“He was looking to make that dive. If he was looking at the ball, then he wouldn’t have dived, knowing that if he had dived, the ball would hit his body. When he made that dive, it means that it was unintentional. So I would think that it was not out.”
IPL 2026 : Should Rishabh Pant have withdrawn the appeal?
The bigger question, however, was whether Pant, as captain, could have withdrawn the appeal. Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag weighed in, “When you are winning, you, as the captain, think that we can let go of this. But since Lucknow were not winning, then they thought that that we could get this wicket, and we would get benefit. So they appealed and as per law, it is a correct appeal.“But we can say that in spirit of the game, they should not have done it. But when you have made a law, then where was spirit of the game?“But I will say that this was third umpire’s decision, and he was watching it on the TV. And when he put in the dive, it’s not that he was looking at the ball… so it was indeed a harsh call.” In the game, Sunil Narine and Rinku Singh starred as Kolkata Knight Riders edged Lucknow Super Giants in a thrilling Super Over in IPL 2026. Narine’s double strike restricted LSG, while Rinku sealed the win with a boundary. The victory lifted KKR off the bottom of the points table after a tense contest in Lucknow.
