"At the point of landing..."- MCC issues official statement on Akash Deep's delivery to dismiss Joe Root at Edgbaston amid allegations of no-ball

Akash Deep dismissed Joe Root in the second innings of the Edgbaston test.

The Indian Cricket Team defeated the England Cricket Team by 336 runs in the second test at Edgbaston in Birmingham. Indian pacer Akash Deep picked a ten-wicket haul in the match, including a six wickets in the second innings.

On day four of the match, Akash Deep castled the stumps of Joe Root with a peach in the second innings, providing a massive breakthrough to India. However, a controversy emerged after the delivery, with some terming it a no-ball. In the replays, Akash’s back foot was seen touching wide off the landing crease.

The third umpire did not intervene and termed it a legal delivery. However, some commentators like Jonathan Trott remarked on air that it was a no-ball. Some sections of the media also termed it a back-foot no-ball.

MCC declares Akash Deep’s delivery as legal

Now, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has declared Akash’s delivery to dismiss Joe Root as legal. An MCC spokesperson told Cricbuzz that Akash’s delivery was not a no-ball according to ICC rules.

“On Day four of India’s Test against England last week, there were questions raised about the delivery from Akash Deep which bowled Joe Root, with some fans and commentators believing it to be a no ball,” he said.

“While Deep landed unusually wide on the crease, and some of his back foot appeared to touch the ground outside the return crease, the third umpire did not call a no ball. MCC is happy to clarify that this was a correct decision in Law,” he further added.

“Clearly, at the point Deep’s foot first touched the ground, the back foot was within and not touching the return crease. Some of his foot may have touched the ground outside the crease subsequently – that is not relevant to this Law. At the point of landing he was within the crease, and this was therefore rightly deemed to be a legal delivery,” he clarified.

Meanwhile, Akash delivered a rocking bowling show in the encounter. England needed 608 runs to win the encounter. However, Akash’s six-wicket haul helped India end the opposition’s innings on 271. With India’s victory in the second test, the five-match test series is levelled at 1-1. Both teams will lock horns in the third test at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London from July 10.

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