Dinesh Karthik, Kolkata Knight Rider’s skipper, warns not to use the word ‘Mankad’ with negative implication as Vinoo Mankad should also be remembered for his achievements as a cricketer. He feels that Bill Brown who was the first man to be dismissed at non-striker’s end in 1947 before Vinoo Mankad delivered the ball should be remembered instead. He also feels that the dismissal is within the spirit of cricket as it is legitimate.
The incident became a hot topic after Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting said that he will not allow Ravichandran Ashwin to repeat ‘Mankading’ after he was traded in by the team from Kings XI Punjab. Ravichandran Ashwin, the spin wizard ‘mankaded’ Rajasthan Royals batsman Jos Buttler in an IPL match in 2019.
Dinesh Karthik Says Vinoo Mankad Should Be Remembered For His Contribution
While Dinesh Karthik talked to Cricketnext as part of the Laws of Cricket Challenge, he questioned why Australian Bill Brown who was run out by Vinoo Mankad in the first example of the dismissal in 1947 was not remembered despite walking out of the crease.
“There are two issues I have with this ‘Mankad’ run out. First is the implementation of it. Second is the name ‘Mankad’ run out,” he said.
“First let’s come down to the implementation. All the way from Don Bradman to Sunil Gavaskar, everyone has said it’s completely within the rules. The ICC and MCC have also taken a stand that it is okay. So I don’t see the reason why bowlers or any team that does it is looked at in a negative way.”
Karthik said that since both ICC and MCC call the dismissal run out it should not be called ‘Mankad’ besides stressing upon the fact that Bill Brown was warned beforehand and nobody remembers him.
“Two, the name of it. The person who did it first time was Vinoo Mankad. Interestingly, he was alert enough to do that dismissal. But more importantly, nobody remembers the batsman who got run out. It was Bill Brown.
“If Mankad was the first person who did that run out, Bill Brown was the first person who got run out for being silly and walking out of the crease. Why is it that people remember Mankad and not Brown? Why can’t it be called anything to do with Bill Brown? He (Mankad) followed the rules and did it.”
“He (Brown) was even given a warning. Giving a warning to the batter is accepted as spirit of cricket. But I don’t see a bowler tactically giving a warning to get a batsman bowled or caught, why should a warning be given for a run out?
“The ICC and MCC call it a run out. So the name Mankad shouldn’t be used in a negative connotation.”
The Kolkata Knight Riders skipper stressed on the fact that it is wrong to associate Vinoo Mankad only for this act. Vinoo Mankad was best known for record opening partnership of 413 runs with Pankaj Roy in 1956 which stood for 52 years. He scored 2109 runs in 44 tests averaging 31.47 and scored 5 tons the highest being 231. He also took 162 wickets averaging 32.32 with the best being 8/52.
“More importantly, for people who know the history of the game Vinoo Mankad was the first person to get 1000 runs and 100 wickets. He had the highest partnership with Pankaj Roy (413) before it was broken as an opening pair. He was an opening batsman and had the highest Test score (231) until Gavaskar ended up breaking it (in 1983). There are so many great things to remember Vinoo Mankad as a cricketer. Why is he remembered only for this? He’s a legend in Indian cricket and should be remembered for all the right reasons.”
Vinoo Mankad was an opening batsman and was also a slow left-arm orthodox bowler and hit his career-best 231 against New Zealand in 1956 besides establishing world record partnership of 413 runs with Pankaj Roy.
Dinesh Karthik Recalls Australian Legend Sir Don Bradman Also Defended Vinoo Mankad In His Act
Interestingly, the legendary Don Bradman who is the only batsman to average more than 90 in Tests and was Australia’s captain in that Test in Sydney, had in fact defended Vinoo Mankad despite critics going against him. In fact, Don Bradman averages 99.94 in 52 Tests and his autobiography ‘Farewell to Cricket’ labelled ‘Mankading’ a legitimate part of cricket.
“Does anybody remember what a great cricketer Vinoo Mankad was? What all he achieved on the field. The only thing they remember him for is this, which I feel is wrong. Back then itself, Don Bradman himself came out and said what Mankad did and within the laws of the game.
“The laws of cricket make it quite clear that the non-striker must keep within his ground until the ball has been delivered. If not, why is the provision there which enables the bowler to run him out?” Bradman wrote in his book Farewell to Cricket.
“Mankad was an ideal type, and he was so scrupulously fair that he first of all warned Brown before taking any action. There was absolutely no feeling in the matter as far as we were concerned, for we considered it quite a legitimate part of the game.”
Dinesh Karthik said batsmen must stay within the crease if this dismissal was effected often, but explained that bowlers fear to do it due to criticism which surrounds it.
“If this is done just like a run out consistently, then obviously the batsmen will be even more careful and stop doing it. But because it is not encouraged and looked at in a negative way, and people are doubted morally, the bowlers, the captains and the teams are scared of doing it more for the repercussions that anything else,” he said.
“But if it is legal means to get a player out and ICC is completely in sync with it and MCC have said for the longest time that it is right to do it, then why is it that it’s not accepted as a mode of dismissal? In what way is it different to a run out?
“A lot of time a batsman hits the ball, it hits the bowler’s hand by mistake and hits the stump. Then does the captain say no, it’s okay it happened by mistake? Where does that stand?”
Dinesh Karthik also suggested an alternative must be executed to stop batsmen from crossing the crease in case the bowlers face repercussions from coaches, senior cricketers and social media.
“Now there is technology for checking no balls. So using the camera, check if the non-striker leaves the crease early. Every time a batsman backs up early, all runs should be disallowed. Only a wicket should stand.”
Dinesh Karthik who was appointed skipper of KKR in IPL in 2018 has been in and out of the Indian team featuring in only 26 Tests, 94 ODIs and 32 T20Is since his debut in 2004.