Ajinkya Rahane's dismissal, recall sparks confusion in Ranji Trophy match
What's the story
The Ranji Trophy match between Mumbai and Jammu & Kashmir the MCA BKC Ground was thrown into disarray, when Ajinkya Rahane was dismissed, only to be recalled later.
It all happened on Day 2 as Rahane was caught down the leg side by wicket-keeper Kanhaiya Wadhawan.
However, umpires S Ravi and Navdeep Singh Sidhu later deemed the Umar Nazir delivery a no-ball, leading to Rahane's unexpected return.
On-field drama
Thakur's entry and exit adds to the confusion
The confusion intensified when Shardul Thakur, who was supposed to replace Rahane on the field, had to wait before going back.
This series of events made many believe that Thakur was being timed-out. Even live television commentators hinted at this possibility.
However, Rahane soon re-emerged on the field while Thakur retreated, adding another twist to the unfolding drama.
Broadcast confusion
No-ball footage missing from official broadcast
Notably, the no-ball that resulted in Rahane's recall wasn't shown on the live telecast by JioCinema, the official broadcaster of the game.
The television production team at the BKC ground claimed they didn't have access to this footage, but it was available with third umpire Nitin Goel.
This absence of visual evidence further fueled speculation and uncertainty among viewers and commentators alike.
Explanation provided
Communication issues behind the confusion
Goel, who doubles up as the match referee, blamed the confusion and delay on communication problems.
He said he had difficulty communicating with the umpire as he was on a different walkie talkie channel.
Rahane was unaware of the umpires' instructions to wait, resulting in further miscommunication. Despite all this, Goel stressed on it being a clear no-ball.
Match update
Rahane's return cut short; Mumbai struggle
However, Rahane's return to the field was short-lived as he was dismissed shortly by Umar Nazir, the same bowler.
The umpires once again checked for the no-ball before confirming Rahane's dismissal.
After his exit, Mumbai were left in a precarious position at 91/6, struggling to avoid an outright loss after conceding a lead of 86 runs earlier.