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'Caught red-handed': Cricket world explodes over 'cheating' accusations

riley morgan
Sports Reporter
·4-min read
Dawid Malan (pictured left) hitting a shot and (pictured right) umpires inspecting Rishabh Pant's gloves with tape on them.
Dawid Malan was caught behind by wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant (pictured left) before the keeper was told to remove tape on his gloves (pictured right) because they were not in the laws of the game. (Images: Getty Images/Fox Sports)

The cricket world is torn over whether Dawid Malan's dismissal should have been reversed after a controversial moment with Rishabh Pant's gloves in the Third Test between England and India.

England captain Joe Root initially left the cricket world in a frenzy after equalling an extraordinary batting record in the third Test

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Continuing the best form of his life, Root scored his third century of the series against India to move England into prime position to win the third Test at Headingley.

But, during Root's heroics, the dismissal of Malan caused uproar.

Malan was caught behind by Pant on the ball before tea.

But, controversy erupted when Pant was found to have taping between two fingers on the gloves.

The rules of cricket only allow webbing between the index finger and the thump on the gloves.

Pant returned after the break and the umpires asked him to remove the taping.

However, this sparked a fierce debate on whether Malan's dismissal should have stood.

“There’s lots in the laws of the game about the webbing but we’re hearing from the third umpire, Richard Illingworth, that he wasn’t allowed and he’s not allowed to tape his gloves like that, so they’ve asked him to take that tape off,” Nasser Hussain said on Sky Sports.

India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant takes to the field ahead of day two of the Third Test Match between England and India at Emerald Headingley Stadium on August 26, 2021 in Leeds, England.
India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant (pictured) takes to the field ahead of day two of the Third Test Match between England and India at Emerald Headingley Stadium on August 26, 2021 in Leeds, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

“It’s a very interesting point you made, when Dawid Malan was caught down the leg side did the wicket keeper have that tape on his gloves? Is it a problem?” David Lloyd replied.

There was confirmation Pant did have his gloves taped up before tea, during Malan's dismissal, but there was no rule to allow a reversal of the wicket.

“So it’s not retrospective then?” Lloyd asked during broadcast.

“You can’t say, well you’ve just taken a wicket.”

“I’m guessing he’s had those gloves taped up all the way through,” Hussain added.

Fans accuse India of 'cheating' after gloves furore

Many fans on social media thought the incident was swept under the rug and more should have been made of the tape after England was accused of 'cheating' over 'spike gate'.

Many fans accused Pant of 'cheating' with the tape, while others called for the wicket to be reversed and the delivery to be called a no-ball.

Regardless of the incident, England were in good stead thanks to their captain.

Batting in front of his home crowd in Yorkshire, Root plundered 121 runs for his sixth ton in 11 appearances since the turn of the year.

The "phenomenal" feat sees Root equal the national record of six calendar year centuries held by Denis Compton and Michael Vaughan.

With an aggregate of 1,398 in that time, and an average of 69.90, the 30-year-old is entering a batting stratosphere that few ever get to experience.

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