Venkatesh Prasad calls out Mark Waugh for 'Mankading' comment

Venkatesh Prasad. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad on Monday took a dig at Australian cricket great Mark Waugh for saying that teams are "deliberately" using 'Mankading' as a strategy to get a wicket, sarcastically retorting that legally running out a batter who is backing up too far is the "worst thing". Commenting on a video on Twitter of Pakistan pacer Zaib-un-Nisa running out a Rwanda batter, who was backing up at the non-striker's end during the Women's U-19 World Cup, Waugh said, "The worst thing is it seems that teams are using it as a deliberate planned way to get a wicket."

To which Prasad replied "Yes right , Bowlers planning to get a player out by legal means is the worst thing. Batsman wanting to take unfair advantage by not staying back in the crease is the best thing." Run-outs when the batter tries to go past the crease before the bowler releases the ball are known as 'Mankading', harking back to the first such dismissal crafted by Vinoo Mankad when he ran out Bill Brown at the non-strikers end in this fashion twice in the 1947-48 Test series against Australia.

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Once considered unfair play, although legal, in the gentleman's game, such run outs at the bowler's end are no longer considered 'unfair play' since October last year after the ICC amended its rule book. However, the debate continues if such dismissals are against the 'spirit of game'. Last week, India skipper Rohit Sharma had withdrawn an appeal for run out at the non-striker's end by Mohammed Shami after Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanak left the crease and the Indian pacer took the bails off.

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