The Ian Bell run-out controversy has had the fans and the experts divided over whether or not MS Dhoni was right in recalling the English middle-order batsman back. Some have praised the Indian captain to have played in the right spirit of the game while the others have been more forthright in being critical of the move given that Bell was out because of his foolishness.
Sachin Tendulkar Behind Ian Bell Run-Out Recall?
However, it has now emerged from news reports that it was actually senior Indian batsman, Sachin Tendulkar, who coerced the Indian captain Dhoni to reinstate Bell. Dhoni, according to an English newspaper, had refused to accede to the request put forth by the captain-coach duo of Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower, but it was at Tendulkar’s insistence that Dhoni came around.
Earlier, Dhoni had been asked thrice on the field of play whether he was appealing against Bell and he had had no hesitation in answering in the affirmative.
Bell had rather naively wandered out of his crease with the ball still in play after the batsmen had run three to an Eoin Morgan shot. The Indians removed the bails and appealed, to which the third umpire was called for, to adjudicate on whether the ball had crossed the boundary or no. Once it was ascertained that the boundary had not been hit, the third umpire ruled Bell out.
According to the newspaper, “Once Tendulkar had spoken Dhoni listened and a decision that - according to the letter of the law - was perfectly fair was swiftly overturned.”
You can watch the Ian Bell run-out video here.
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