The mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy has sparked fresh debate over a controversial no-ball decision in the IPL 2025 match between Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 17.
His remarks have sparked new discussions among fans and former cricketers. The incident took place at Wankhede Stadium when Mumbai Indians’ Ryan Rickelton was initially declared out.
The dismissal has been reversed due to the technical violation by the wicketkeeper. While chasing a target of 163, Rickelton was on 21 runs off 18 deliveries and was adjudged out in the seventh over bowled by spinner Zeeshan Ansari.
The third umpire intervened and reversed the decision, permitting Rickelton to come back to the crease.
SRH wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen had his gloves marginally ahead of the stumps when the delivery was bowled, leading to a rare no-ball being called due to a technical breach.
Varun Chakravarthy disagreed with the decision. In a post on X, KKR spinner expressed that the ruling was harsh on the bowler, particularly when the violation was minor and unintentional.
He argued that the law unfairly penalises the bowler for a mistake they did not make, potentially shifting the momentum in the game.
“If the keeper’s gloves come in front of the stumps, it should be a dead ball and a warning to the keeper so that he doesn’t do that again !!! Not a no ball and a free hit!! What did the bowler do. Thinking out loud!! What do u all think??? no-ball” he wrote on X.
If the keeper’s gloves come in front of the stumps, it should be a dead ball and a warning to the keeper so that he doesn’t do that again !!! Not a no ball and a free hit!! What did the bowler do🙄🙄
Thinking out loud!! What do u all think???— Varun Chakaravarthy🇮🇳 (@chakaravarthy29) April 17, 2025
According the Law 27.3 of the MCC code, the wicketkeeper is required to stay completely behind the stumps at the striker’s end until the ball either makes contact with the bat or passes the stumphs.
If the keeper moves out of position, even by a small margin, before this occurs, it is deemed a breack of the law, and the umpire must call the delivery a no-ball.
Ryan Rickelton was dismissed in the next over from 31 off 23 deliveries by Harshal Patel, the earlier incident continued to spark debate.
With Varun Chakravarthy raising concerns about the spirit and interpretation of the rule, the debate over the keeper’s role and responsibility is likely to persist.
The result saw MI get their second win on the home, and will play their next game against Chennai Super Kings on April 20 at Wankhede Stadium.
