Harsha Bhogle points out major loophole in modern cricket ; 'Umpires have to find a way'

Veteran Indian commentator Harsha Bhogle on Thursday highlighted a major loophole in the ICC's rule for a stumping. Bhogle urged the on-field umpires to find a way to see through the tactic of a keeper taking the bails off and asking for a stumping review so that they get to check the edge without wasting a review. The fielding side is allowed to ask the umpires to check the stumping if they remove the bails mid-play. During the process, they also get to check if the batsman is out LBW or has edged the ball.  

It becomes an advantage for the fielding side because they get to do this without wasting a review. In Test cricket, both sides get three reviews each per innings and they can't waste them to check just stumping. According to Bhogle, wicketkeepers use this tactic where they remove the bails and ask for a stumping every time they want to check if the batsman has edged the ball or not. Bhogle wants umpires to do something about this tactic of keepers. 

"The umpires have to find a way to see through the tactic of a keeper taking the bails off and asking for a stumping so that they get to check the edge without wasting a review," Bhogle wrote on Twitter. 

The umpires have to find a way to see through the tactic of a keeper taking the bails off and asking for a stumping so that they get to check the edge without wasting a review

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 2, 2023

India vs Australia

The Indian cricket team is currently playing the third Test match against Australia in Indore. Australia are looking ahead in the game after having dismissed India for just 109 runs in their first innings on Wednesday. Australia then scored 197 runs to take an 88-run lead over India after the end of the first two innings. India are batting in their second innings at a score of 117/5. India have managed to cut the lead and are now ahead by 29 runs. Cheteshwar Pujara and KS Bharat are on strike for the home side. Pujara is nearing his 35th half-century in the longest format. 

Image: BCCI/Instagram/HarshaBhogle