Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood has started preparing for India series which starts at the end of this year from now itself.
The Aussie quick recognised India’s number 3 Cheteshwar Pujara as one of the main threats and recently joked that he has saved the Mankad dismissal to get over the gutsy batsman.
Hazlewood was asked about his view on Mankad dismissal at the annual Australian Cricket Award.
The last time India toured Australia, Pujara finished the 4-match Test series as the leading run scorer. Pujara accumulated 521 runs from 7 innings and averaged an astonishing 74.42. The Indian batting mainstay faced 1,258 balls in the series hitting 3 tons and a half-century.
One of Pujara’s ton came in the 3rd Test at Melbourne where he scored 106 off 391 balls in a marathon innings of 481 minutes.
These figures helped Josh Hazlewood to even fix the venue where he would Mankad Pujara.
“I hope I don’t find myself in that situation.” – Meg Lanning
“I reckon I’ll save that one for the next time … at Pujara.” – Josh Hazlewood@gradecricketer chats with the Aussies about the Mankad pic.twitter.com/8pSpWSU8a6
#7Cricket (@7Cricket) February 19, 2020
“I have saved that (Mankad dismissal) for Pujara on the flat wicket of MCG,” the 29-year-old bowler said.
The Australia Test team captain Tim Paine was also asked the same question and he tried to be on the safer side of this contentious debate. He said it is there in the rule books but would not do it himself because of the controversy it creates.
Mankading debate in cricket has been in news ever since India spinner Ravichandra Ashwin dismissed England batsman Jos Buttler using the technique in a 2019 IPL match between Kings XI Punjab and and Rajasthan Royals.
The lastest round of debate on Mankad dismissal, which was made famous by India player Vinoo Mankad in 1947 started when Afghanistan left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad Mankaded Pakistan opener Mohammad Huraira during the 2020 Under-19 World Cup quarterfinal between the two teams.
The cricket fraternity looks divided on this “debatable” form of dismissal which involves a run out of the non-striker by the bowler before bowling the ball if the non-striker leaves his crease too early.
Cricketing legends including bowlers like Dale Steyn, James Anderson and former Australian great Shane Warne have called the technique disgraceful and ungentlemanly, while some including Mitchell Johnson and Dean Jones have supported it saying the updated law makes the Mankad dismissal totally legal and batsmen should also play fairly and not leave the crease before the completion of a delivery.
Personally I would warn someone if I was to do it but the batsman should also play fair by staying behind the crease, former Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson had said.
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