Ravindra Jadeja run-out: Was it valid for West Indies to appeal after replays? MCC says so
On Sunday, during the first ODI between India and West Indies at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was run out under bizarre circumstances. From what is appeared, Jadeja managed to escape a direct hit that had rattled against the stumps before he made it to the crease. However, the original decision was changed after West Indies players watched the replay on the giant screen. The decision resulted in Jadeja's dismissal and Indian skipper Virat Kohli was miffed. While the "prompt from outside people" remained the primary reason behind Kohli's frustration over the decision, a valid question from the commentators went unanswered.
Was the timing of the appeal valid?
YES! According to MCC's Laws of Cricket, the team can make an appeal before the run-up for the next delivery. Law 31.3, which deals with 'Timing of appeals', says, "For an appeal to be valid, it must be made before the bowler begins his/her run-up or, if there is no run-up, his/her bowling action to deliver the next ball, and before Time has been called."
So West Indies were right?
Not entirely. Yes, Pollard and his side had appealed after watching the replay on the giant screen, but it was not right on the skipper’s part to ask the umpires to go upstairs. It on part of the on-field umpires to discuss between themselves before making the decision to go refer to the TV umpire or not.
Was Kohli's allegation valid?
"The people sitting outside cannot tell the fielder and they can't ask the umpire about reviewing the run out. I have never seen this in cricket. I don't know where the rules are. The referee and the umpire has to take that up and decide. The people sitting outside the field shouldn't dictate what happens on the field and that's exactly what happened there," Kohli had told Harsha Bhogle in the post-match presentation when asked about the controversial run-out.
However, according to ESPNCricinfo, immediately after umpire Shaun Goerge had turned out Jadeja's dismissal, he was prompted via the radio by third umpire Rod Tucker to check his decision as it was "tight". All happened at the time when the replay was being shown on the giantscreen.
