IPL 2026: Angkrish Raghuvanshi out explained — should Rishabh Pant have withdrawn the appeal?
With Raghuvanshi given out after a mid-dive deflection, the decision raised questions on law versus spirit and whether Rishabh Pant should have withdrawn the appeal. Rohan Gavaskar disagreed with the call, while Virender Sehwag termed it harsh. KKR later won in a Super Over.
NEW DELHI: Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s controversial dismissal for obstructing the field during Kolkata Knight Riders’s (KKR) clash against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Sunday has sparked a wider debate, not just about the law, but also the “spirit of the game” and whether LSG skipper Rishabh Pant should have withdrawn the appeal. The incident occurred when Raghuvanshi, attempting a quick single, was sent back and dived to make his ground as a throw came in from the infield. The ball struck him mid-dive, leading to an appeal from Mohammed Shami.
After referral, the third umpire ruled him out, citing a change in running line. As per IPL playing conditions (Clause 37. 1.
4), a batter can be given out if he “significantly changed his direction without probable cause and thereby obstructed a fielder’s attempt to effect a run out,” regardless of whether a run-out was likely. Speaking to Cricbuzz after the match, former India cricketer Rohan Gavaskar disagreed with the decision, saying, “I think it's not out becuase when the ball came and the batter dived, he was not looking at the ball. — StarSportsIndia (@StarSportsIndia) “He was looking to make that dive.
If he was looking at the ball, then he wouldn't have dived, knowing that if he had dived, the ball would hit his body. When he made that dive, it means that it was unintentional. So I would think that it was not out.