IND vs AFG: Retired hurt or retired out? Should Rohit Sharma have been allowed to bat in second Super over?

Add as a preferred source on Google

IND vs AFG: India defeated Afghanistan in a double Super Over to clinch the series 3-0 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday, January 17. Rohit Sharma's six and four helped India post a 12-run target for Afghanistan in the second Super Over. In reply, Afghanistan could manage just one run.

There were a couple of controversies in both the Super Over. The one relating to Rohit Sharma in the second Super Over has left fans and cricket experts puzzled.

As per the Super Over rules, three batters from each team are allowed. Also, the batter dismissed in the first Super Over is not allowed to bat if a second Super Over is activated.

IND vs AFG Super Over Controversy: What Happened?

On the final ball of the first Super Over during India's innings, Rohit Sharma opted to walk out of the ground and call in Rinku Singh. 36-year-old Rohit Sharma isn't one of the fastest members of the Indian cricket team, and the idea behind was to have a batter in the middle who can run fast between the wickets on the final ball when two runs were required to win the match.

However, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rinku Singh managed to run a single as the first Super Over also ended in a draw. But moments later, Rohit Sharma again walked in to bat with Rinku Singh.

Afghanistan fielders had a conversation with umpires, but Rohit was allowed to bat again. Fans and experts were left wondering whether the India captain was retired hurt or retired out when he walked back to bring in Rinku Singh on the final ball of the first Super Over.

As Rohit Sharma came out to bat immediately after one delivery, it was clear that Rohit Sharma was not retired hurt. An already out batter is not allowed in the successive Super Overs, and therefore a retired out Rohit Sharma should have ideally not come out to bat again.

What do the rules say?

Appendix F ( of ICC’s T20I Playing Conditions) deals with Super Overs, and clause 22 states: “Any batter dismissed in any previous Super Over shall be ineligible to bat in any subsequent Super Over.”

A batter can only retire not out “because of illness, injury or any other unavoidable cause”. As mentioned above, Rohit came out to bat in the second Super Over, and therefore chances of him retiring himself hurt is ruled out.

A retired out player can take the field once again only after the consent from the opposition captain. However, the frustration of Afghanistan fielders after Rohit came to bat in the second Super Over, and their discussion with the umpires, rules out that possibility as well.

Retired out is also not one of the nine standard modes of dismissal. This is the only rule working in favour of Rohit Sharma as of now. However, this argument is also unlikely to stop the debate which has triggered around this unique situation in T20I cricket.