'To hell with the spirit of the game' - Hardik Pandya on running out non-striker for backing up

The issue of running out a non-striker for backing up is deemed legal and fair by the ICC and MCC. However, critics remain divided about it, while Hardik Pandya has rubbished that the rule violates the spirit.

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First Published Oct 25, 2022, 1:40 PM IST | Last Updated Oct 25, 2022, 1:40 PM IST

"To hell with the spirit of the game, we need to stop making a fuss about this," star Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya is apparent in his head how the run out of the batter, backing up far at the non-striker's end should be sensed. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has termed these kinds of dismissals 'run out' and removed them from its rule book's 'unfair play' section. The ICC's playing condition rule changes came into effect on October 1. However, the dispute persists if such dismissals are against the 'spirit of game'. The subject became a hot matter of discussion when Indian spinner Deepti Sharma ran out England's Charlie Dean at the non-striker's end for leaving her crease early. It handed India a historic 3-0 clean sweep in the women's One-Day International (ODI) series in England last month.

"We must stop fussing about this [running out a non-striker for backing up]. It is a rule as simple as that. To hell with the spirit of the game. If it is there, remove the rule. As simple as that. The ones who have a problem are good for them. That is fine," Pandya said during the ICC Review Podcast

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"I have no problem with it [running out for backing up]. If I am walking out [of the crease] and someone runs me out, that is my mistake. He [the bowler] is using the rule to his advantage, that is fine, that's not a big deal," he added. Pandya also expressed that match-ups between opposing players do not work in the Twenty20 (T20) format.

"Match-ups, honestly, are over-rated. I don't mind saying that. It might work in Test and ODI cricket, but I don't believe it in T20 cricket. I am never worried about match-ups. For me, match-ups do not work. Where I bat and the situations, I get into. I don't generally get the option of match-ups. It's more people batting at top-3 or top-4 who had the opportunity to see all the bowlers bowling," wondered Pandya.

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"For me, especially, it is just the situation. There are times when a bowler I want to take on is bowling, but if the situation does not demand, I don't take the risk because it will harm my team. I am never okay with that," continued Pandya. Asked about his cricketing ambitions, he expressed, "Something I have been focussing since I made a comeback on being the best version of myself, get the best out of me."

"I am running towards. I won't say greatness but running towards excellence. If I want to achieve something, it's excellence. At the end of my career, if I sit down and if I have achieved excellence at one point in time, that will be okay," Pandya concluded.

(With inputs from PTI)

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