Just when you thought this India-Sri Lanka series could simply not get weirder, it did, today in the third and final T20I in Colombo. Desperate to get going, Padikkal put his skates on trying to pinch a non-existent run and was run out. But hilariously, he was also out LBW on the same ball.
After a promising debut on Wednesday, Devdutt Padikkal virtually opened today in the third T20I, with skipper Shikhar Dhawan getting dismissed on the fourth ball of the match. But though Dhawan’s dismissal was, on paper, a killer blow for a team that only had five specialist batters in its side, the wicket was being viewed as a ‘blessing in disguise’ by many a fan, who thought the early breakthrough provided Padikkal with a golden chance to shine.
However, the early entry of Padikkal did not go according to the script. Off his first 11 balls, the youngster managed just 6 runs, and pressure started to build after the Lankans decided to choke him with the off-spin of Ramesh Mendis. The pressure kept building and, well, it eventually culminated into something bizarre.
On the final ball of the fourth over, desperate to break the shackles, Padikkal, batting on 9 off 14, attempted a sweep against Mendis across the line. He missed it completely, but still, the youngster was keen to get to the other end. Therefore, putting his head down, the 21-year-old set off for a single. To his dismay, however, the run was non-existent and there was no response from his partner Ruturaj Gaikwad, who did not move an inch. Gaikwad’s wise decision to stay put meant that Padikkal was run out.
But this is not the bizarre part. Padikkal was also comically out LBW on the same ball. Just as the keeper Minod Bhanuka took off the bails, with Padikkal stranded in the middle of the wicket, umpire Kumar Dharmasena lifted his dreaded finger in slow motion to signal that the batsman was out LBW.
Yesterday, Padikkal became the first Indian batsman born in the 2000s to play for the Men’s side. Today he became the first-ever Indian batsman to be dismissed twice off the same ball. Fascinating start to his career, then.
DUAL OUTS!
— Rishobpuant (@rishobpuant) July 29, 2021
A SPECIAL PLAYER?
Takes a special player to be dismissed twice in one delivery.#padikkal
— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) July 29, 2021
POOR PADIKKAL!
Poor umpiring by Dharmasena. If he gave Padikkal Out LBW, the runout wouldn’t stand. He should have stopped the batsman and asked if he wanted to review.#Cricket #BCCI #SLvIND
— Sameep. (@sameepbuch) July 29, 2021
WHAT WAS FIRST?
🤣🤣speak from India’s perspective bro!He’s clearly out lbw,even if it’s runout..its isn’t Rutu’s fault..if he had listened to padikkal,rutu would have been out by a mile
— MKR (💙MS DHONI🇮🇳💛) (@RohitSharmahitt) July 29, 2021
HAHA!
If Dharmasena had given him out LBW but Padikkal appeals on DRS & somehow survives the LBW shout, then would he have been runout or the ball dead 🤔@EdmundBayliss https://t.co/Z5lxMv4guv
— JoiningUnrelatedDots (@Mareeswj) July 29, 2021
WHAT IS THE FIRST MODE?
Devdutt Padikkal gets out as LBW and runout but as the first mode of dismissal was LBW it is given out as LBW #INDvSL
— All About Cricket (@allaboutcric_) July 29, 2021
A MILE!
🤣🤣speak from India’s perspective bro!He’s clearly out lbw,even if it’s runout..its isn’t Rutu’s fault..if he had listened to padikkal,rutu would have been out by a mile
— Naveen (@Naveen25979920) July 29, 2021
LBW-RUNOUT
Padikkal is LBW not runout
— Crickism (@Amaan_99_Star) July 29, 2021
Padikkal – Leg Before Runout
— Nitin Sundar (@knittins) July 29, 2021
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