Mankading and deja vu

The Vijay Hazare Trophy match between Bengal and Railways had a Mankading incident, seven months after R. Ashwin and Jos Buttler's episode at the same venue.

Railways' Harsh Tyagi (in photo) and Bengal's Agniv Pan were involved in a Mankading episode on Monday in Jaipur.

One of the biggest talking points of the 2019 IPL was R. Ashwin ‘Mankading’ Jos Buttler in the match between Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals. Nearly seven months later, at the same venue — Sawai Mansingh Stadium — there was a similar incident.

Railways left-arm spinner Harsh Tyagi, seeing non-striker Agniv Pan out of the crease, knocked the bails off in the 36th over of the Bengal innings during their Vijay Hazare Trophy match on Monday.

The Bengal camp was taken aback and the support staff did react when Tyagi, who was batting at No. 8 during Railways’ chase, was dismissed. They applauded, loudly and long enough, as he returned to the pavilion.

After the match which ended in a tie, Bengal coach Arun Lal minced no words. “It is bad for cricket and the reputation of (Indian) Railways as an organisation,” the former India opener told  Sportstar .  “There was no need to do such a thing against the spirit of cricket.”Railways coach Yusuf Ali Khan said he, too, disapproved of it. “It is not good for cricket,” he said.