Would Sachin Tendulkar Have Done A Deepti Sharma? Here's How Master Blaster Responded

Despite the recent rule changes by the International Cricket Council (ICC) with regards to run-out at non-striker's end, there continues to remain a debate in the cricketing spectrum. After Indian women's cricket team star Deepti Sharma ran out Charlotte Dean at the non-striker's end, many former and current cricketers expressed their disappointment on social media while also calling the dismissal against the spirit of the game. Sachin Tendulkar, one of the veterans of the game, has given a firm response to those still scratching the 'sportsmanship' angle in the dismissal.

In an interview with Sportstar, Tendulkar said that the dismissal is a legitimate rule as per the ICC and whenever someone is playing by the rules, there's no point in questioning their 'spirit of the game'.

"Spirit of cricket... whatever you are playing within the rules of the game, that is spirit of cricket," he said.

When asked if he would run someone out for backing up too far, Tendulkar said that the batter deserves to be dismissed as per the ICC rule for backing up too far.

"It's a rule now. If a player is short of the crease or doesn't make the crease, then the batter is given out, right? Just like he misses a ball that's heading toward stumps and in line of the stumps, he is given out lbw. So the ICC has introduced the rule that if you are out of the crease (before the ball is bowled), then you are run out,"

When asked if the Deepti Sharma episode was blown out of proportion, Tendulkar sided with the Indian spinner, saying: "She was playing to what the laws of the game are."

What's baffling for many is the fact that the Deepti Sharma episode continues to remain in chatter among fans, experts, and former cricketers despite it being as legal as any other dismissal in the rulebooks. 

Topics mentioned in this article

Sachin Tendulkar Deepti Sharma Cricket