IND v ENG: Cricket experts baffled with 3rd umpire for giving Ben Stokes not-out despite bat being on the line

England all-rounder Ben Stokes played an exceptional knock against India in the second ODI at Pune, scoring 99 off just 52 deliveries.

Stokes’ carnage was one of the reasons why England chased India’s mammoth total of 336 runs with 6.3 overs to spare. But, the match’s result could’ve been different had a run-out decision involving Stokes gone in India’s favour.

It all happened during the 26th over of the second innings after Stokes flicked a Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivery and tried to steal a second run.

Kuldeep Yadav, who failed to make an impact with the ball, was sharp at deep mid-wicket and, more importantly, hit the wickets at the striker’s end directly.

The close-call was sent upstairs. After seeing many replays, the third umpire Anil Chaudhary decided that the batsman was safe. The replays were not really conclusive, and perhaps it just came down to benefit of the doubt.

In the meantime, the cricket experts across the world reckoned that Stokes’ bat was on the line when the bails were dislodged and he should have been given out.

“That was out !!! No part of bat was touching over the line . It was just showing that it was over! Just my opinion,” tweeted Yuvraj Singh.

That was out !!! No part of bat was touching over the line . It was just showing that it was over ! Just my opinion !! #IndiavsEngland
— Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) March 26, 2021

“Wow … I would have given that Out,” wrote Michael Vaughan.

Wow … I would have given that Out … #INDvENG
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 26, 2021

“I think we got away with one there. I thought that was out,” Ian Bell told ESPN Cricinfo in a video.

“Watching it all on TV, I don’t think there was anything behind the line and after what Ben did towards the end, yeah we got away with one as a team,” he added.

“Temperament is an important part to being an umpire. And some of the umpires on occasions have fallen short temperamentally. This time, the pressure seemed to have got to the umpire because the grounded part of the bat was on the line. What seemed to be over the line was the part which was not grounded,” Sanjay Manjrekar said in the same video.

Here’s how others reacted: