I would like to be clear about āfair and unfairā and do things correctly, says Punam Raut
Punam Raut has said that she wants to do things correctly and be clear about the idea of fair and unfair backing her decision to walk in spite of being adjudged not out by the umpire in the pink-ball Test against Australia. She further stated that cricket is just a sport, it is not a war.
India women played their first pink-ball Test this month against Australia and the match resulted in a draw. In the first innings of the match a floater by Sophie Molineux bounced more than Punam Raut expected and edged her bat before going to the wicketkeeper. In spite of being given not out by the umpire, Raut chose to walk to the pavilion. Her decision triggered a discussion around the spirit of the game. Sharing her views on the issue, she has stated that she wants to do things correctly and be clear about the idea of fair and unfair.
āI mean, why would anyone walk if they didnāt nick? The spirit of cricket has to be there, right? We hardly get a chance to play (Tests), so I think we tend to forget why we enjoy playing this sport, why we compete. You donāt want to cheat just to seal your sport. See, I might forget the spirit here, but I truly believe, the same situation returns in life when maybe Iāll be given Out when Iām not. Iād like to be clear about āfair and unfairā and do things correctly. Plus, itās just a sport, not war,ā she opined.
The Test match was played without Decision Review System(DRS) and the appeal by the Australian players seemed to have gone in vain. Commenting on the umpireās decision Raut stated that it was very surprising for her that the umpire adjudged her not out in spite of having nicked the ball.Ā
āI was so sure the umpire would give Out. Because it was Out!ā she starts. āThere was definitely a noise, though it was a faint top edge. I was so sure heād give out that I didnāt even look back the first few steps. Itās happened a few times in domestic cricket that I was given out when I wasnāt. But this has never happened in my life. I donāt know how the umpire didnāt give it out,ā she said.
Punam Raut was dismissed on a score of 36 in the first innings and she understands the intensity of international cricket and the importance of her contribution with the bat for the team.Ā
āOf course I understood the disappointment of team-mates. Noone likes losing wickets. Thatās why I didnāt express anything to them when some asked if I was sure it was Out, even when I was sure I was,ā she remarked.
Raut scored 36 runs in the first innings and scored unbeaten 41 runs in the second innings.Ā