The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the official guardian of cricket laws, has firmly stated that Akash Deep’s delivery to dismiss Joe Root during the second Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy was completely within the rules, even though it sparked debate among fans and commentators who believed it might have been a no-ball.
The incident took place on the fourth day of the Test match. Akash Deep, bowling over the wicket, angled the ball in from wide of the crease. The ball then moved away after pitching and went on to hit Root’s off-stump. However, replays showed part of Akash Deep’s back foot touching near or possibly over the return crease, the white line running parallel to the pitch beside the stumps. This led many to question whether it should have been called a no-ball.
The third umpire had already reviewed the delivery during the match and found that the foot was legal at the point it first landed, which is the key factor under cricket’s laws. The MCC has now supported this ruling and offered a detailed explanation to clear any remaining confusion.
In their statement, the MCC explained that while the delivery looked unusual and Akash Deep’s foot did seem to reach outside the crease afterward, it is only the first point of contact with the ground that matters when judging the legality of a bowler’s foot placement. At the moment Akash Deep’s back foot first touched the ground, it was clearly within the return crease and not on or over it. That initial position is what counts according to the laws and what happens with the foot afterward has no bearing on the legality of the delivery.
The MCC clarified that their definition of a fair delivery is based on the location of the back foot at the first moment it contacts the ground. In this case, Akash Deep was within bounds, making the ball legal and the decision correct.
Akash Deep went on to have an impressive performance in the match, taking ten wickets across the Test. He became only the second Indian bowler to achieve this feat in England. India went on to win the match convincingly by 336 runs, leveling the series 1-1.
