Confusion looms among players with crossover of rules in the Ranchi T20I

The selective adoption of ICC’s new playing conditions in the rain-hit 1st T20 between India and Australia in Ranchi confused the players from both sides. Australia’s limited overs tour to India began on September 17 while the new amendments came into effect on September 28). The two team’s pre-series agreement says that the matches will be played as per the set of old rules.

Hence, the tab on bat thickness, new fielding rules and the changes in the Decision Review System (DRS) operations would play no part in the ongoing tour fixtures. According to opener Aaron Finch, the DRS rule was very much in place during the course of the game but the playing conditions for bowlers in a shortened match weren’t implemented, as Australia fielded for six overs, defending 48 on the basis of D/L.

According to the new playing conditions, if an innings in a T20 game is reduced to less than 10 overs, the maximum quota of overs per bowler shall not be less than two: meaning that if a match is reduced to six overs a side, as it was on Saturday, three bowlers would be able to bowl two overs each.

Finch-Dhawan have their say

“I didn’t know there was a review system until about the fifth over. Nobody did,” Finch said. “Steve Smith, when he ran out a drink, mentioned it. So we had to ask the umpires. But it is quite strange to have a crossover of rules for this series.”

“I mean bat sizes and things like that are coming in at the end of the series. The over situation with a shortened game … three bowlers being allowed to bowl two overs. But DRS was in for this. It didn’t have any effect on the game. I just thought it was quite odd to have mixed and matched the rules for this series,” added Finch.

Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan, who came back int the side after a lay-off wasn’t too aware of the rules. “I’m sure they would have definitely felt the inconsistency. But whatever is the rule, is the rule. I’m not exactly aware of the rule you were talking about. It is what it is,” he said.