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Manipur Batter Given Out 'Hit the Ball Twice' in Ranji Trophy, Putting Law 34 Under Scrutiny

The decision remains in place with questions mounting over how the law was applied.

Overview

  • Manipur's Lamabam Ajay Singh was ruled out for hitting the ball twice in a Plate League match against Meghalaya in Surat after an appeal, with umpire Dharmesh Bhardwaj making the decision.
  • He had defended Aryan Bora’s delivery and then struck the rolling ball again as it moved toward the stumps, a scenario allowed only when the second strike is solely to protect the wicket under MCC Law 34.1.1.
  • A venue official said he could have padded the ball away but used his bat, and neither the batter nor Manipur contested the call as Singh walked off immediately.
  • The dismissal is exceptionally rare in Ranji Trophy history, recorded as only the fifth instance and the first since Dhruv Mahajan in 2005–06.
  • Ravichandran Ashwin publicly criticized the ruling as inconsistent with the laws, while match reports note Singh’s 20-ball duck in a collapse that left Manipur 88 runs behind on first innings.