Ranji Trophy 2025: Manipur batsman Lambam Ajay Singh was given out for hitting the ball twice in the Ranji Trophy. This is the first time in 20 years that a batsman has been dismissed in this manner in the tournament.

Ranji Trophy 2025

A bizarre dismissal during the Meghalaya vs. Manipur Ranji Trophy match has become a topic of discussion. Manipur player Lambam Ajay Singh was given out for hitting the ball twice. He defended a delivery from Aryan Bora, blocking the ball with his bat as it was heading towards the wicket.

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, people present at the match said that when the batsman hit the ball a second time, it was heading towards the wickets. This is legal under the rules, but neither the batsman nor anyone else protested the umpire's decision. The report quoted a match official as saying, "He could have hit it away with his pads, but he blocked it with his bat. Umpire Dharmesh Bhardwaj gave him out for hitting the ball twice. The batsman left the field as soon as the Meghalaya team appealed."

What is the ICC rule?

According to MCC Laws 34.1.1, if the ball is in play and hits the striker's bat, body or any other part of his body, and the striker intentionally hits the ball a second time with the bat or any other part of his body (other than the hand not holding the bat), the batsman is out (before a fielder has touched the ball), unless the second strike is made solely to save his own wicket.

This is how he got out in the Ranji Trophy after 20 years. This isn't the first time a batsman has been dismissed in this manner in the Ranji Trophy; it happened in 2005-06 as well. Jammu and Kashmir captain Dhruv Mahajan was also given out in a similar manner against Jharkhand. Prior to that, such dismissals had been seen three times in the Ranji Trophy. Anand George of Tamil Nadu in 1998-99, Shahid Parvez of Jammu and Kashmir in 1986-87, and KK Bavanna of Andhra Pradesh in 1963-64.