Rawal fined as Mankad memories loom in England-India ODI at Lord's

The hallowed turf of Lord's is set to witness not just a crucial second One-Day International between England and India this Saturday, but also a simmering undercurrent of controversy, reignited by the fining of Indian batsman Rohit Rawal. The incident, which saw Rawal penalised for repeatedly backing up too far at the non-striker's end during the previous encounter, has thrust the contentious 'Mankad' dismissal back into the spotlight, promising a fixture laced with familiar needle and heightened tension. With the series finely poised, the psychological warfare has already begun, long before the first ball is bowled at the Home of Cricket.

The 'Mankad' dismissal, named after the legendary Indian all-rounder Vinoo Mankad who famously ran out Bill Brown in 1947, remains one of cricket's most divisive topics. While perfectly legal under the Laws of Cricket – Law 41.16 explicitly permits the bowler to run out the non-striker if they leave their crease before the ball is delivered – its execution often sparks heated debate over the 'spirit of the game'. India, perhaps more so than any other nation, has historically found itself at the centre of these controversies, with figures like Kapil Dev and more recently Ravichandran Ashwin invoking the rule to the chagrin of opposition teams and many purists. The Rawal fine, though not a dismissal itself, serves as a stark reminder to both sides of the fine line between tactical advantage and perceived unsportsmanlike conduct, especially when the stakes are so high.