Ranji Trophy: Maharashtra's Ankit Bawne suspended for showing dissent
What's the story
Maharashtra's top-order batter Ankit Bawne has been suspended for one match after he showed an act of dissent during a recent Ranji Trophy game.
Meanwhile, the suspension was announced just before Maharashtra's sixth-round Group A encounter against Baroda in Nashik.
However, the incident that led to this disciplinary action occurred in the fifth-round match against Services.
Here's more on this.
Dispute details
Bawne's protest against dismissal decision
Bawne, standing in as captain for Ruturaj Gaikwad, disputed his dismissal despite clear evidence showing the ball had bounced before Shubham Rohilla caught it at slip off spinner Amit Shukla.
With no Decision Review System (DRS) available due to the match being live-streamed and not televised, Bawne couldn't officially challenge the decision and refused to leave the field.
Meanwhile, this protest by Bawne led to a delay in the game.
Game delay
Bawne's protest delays game, sparks controversy
Bawne's protest caused a 15-minute delay until match referee Amit Sharma and Maharashtra coach Sulakshan Kulkarni intervened to resume play.
Meanwhile, the controversy escalated when regular captain Gaikwad, away in Australia with India A, shared replays of the disputed dismissal on social media.
Umpiring critique
Coach Kulkarni questions umpiring standards post-incident
Coach Sulakshan Kulkarni criticized the poor umpiring standards in domestic cricket following the incident.
He questioned why umpires who make such errors continue to officiate, adding that frustration is natural when such mistakes occur.
Additionally, Bawne's suspension is a significant setback for Maharashtra, as he has been their top scorer this season, amassing 361 runs in five matches at an impressive average of 51.57.