MCC Rules Akash Deep's Root Dismissal Legal Amid No-Ball Debate

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has officially addressed the controversy surrounding Akash Deep's delivery that dismissed Joe Root in the recent Edgbaston Test match. Despite debate and scrutiny, the MCC, the ultimate authority on cricket laws, has declared the dismissal as legal.

Joe Root got bowled by a peach of a delivery from Akash Deep © Getty

The MCC's statement centers on the interpretation of Law 21.5.1, which governs the legality of a delivery based on the bowler's back foot placement. The club emphasized that the crucial moment is the initial point of contact between the bowler's foot and the ground.

According to the MCC, even if a portion of the foot subsequently lands outside the return crease, the delivery remains legal if the initial contact is within the crease.

The Controversial Delivery

Akash Deep's delivery, which clean bowled Root in the tenth over, immediately sparked debate. Replays indicated that the bowler's back foot may have landed wide of the crease, leading some to question its legality.

• Some commentators suggested it was a no-ball.
• Former England batter Jonathan Trott echoed this sentiment during a studio discussion.
• In contrast, Ravi Shastri, commentating live, firmly believed the delivery was legitimate.

Ultimately, third umpire Paul Reiffel did not intervene, and on-field umpires Chris Gaffaney and Sharfuddoula Saikat did not signal a no-ball.

MCC's Official Clarification

An MCC spokesperson addressed the concerns directly: "On Day four of India's Test against England last week, there were questions raised about the delivery from Akash Deep which bowled Joe Root, with some fans and commentators believing it to be a no ball."

The spokesperson continued, "While Deep landed unusually wide on the crease, and some of his back foot appeared to touch the ground outside the return crease, the third umpire did not call a no ball. MCC is happy to clarify that this was a correct decision in Law."

Law 21.5.1 Explained

The MCC further clarified the relevant law: "For a delivery to be fair in respect of the feet, in the delivery stride the bowler's back foot must land within and not touching the return crease appertaining to his/her stated mode of delivery."

The statement emphasized the critical point of initial contact: "MCC has always defined the moment that the back foot lands as the first point of contact with the ground. As soon as there is any part of the foot touching the ground, that foot has landed, and it is the foot's position at that time which is to be considered for a back foot no ball."

In conclusion, the MCC stated: "Clearly, at the point Deep's foot first touched the ground, the back foot was within and not touching the return crease. Some of his foot may have touched the ground outside the crease subsequently - that is not relevant to this Law. At the point of landing he was within the crease, and this was therefore rightly deemed to be a legal delivery."

Impact on the Game

Root's dismissal proved pivotal, reducing England, who were chasing a significant 608 runs, to 50 for 3. The home team eventually succumbed to the pressure, folding for 271 on the final day and handing India a 336-run victory, leveling the five-Test series.