Call it ‘run-out’, not ‘Mankading’, says Vinoo Mankad’s son

Rahul Mankad, the only surviving son of legendary all-rounder Vinoo Mankad, has objected to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) referring to a bowler running out non-striker backing up too far as “Mankading” on its official social media handle.

Mankad Jr., a multiple Ranji Trophy winner with Mumbai in the 1970s and 80s, has written an email to BCCI president Sourav Ganguly after the BCCI, on its Twitter feed, referred to a run-out during women’s under-19 semifinal between Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh as “Mankading”.

Resolve the issue

“I am writing this email with a request to please resolve the unwarranted and disrespectful situation that has appeared in a post on the BCCI website,” Mankad wrote in an email on Oct. 18 to BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, marking a copy to secretary Jay Shah and chief executive officer Hemang Amin.

“It is an overenthusiastic and ill-informed post and perhaps a misplaced attempt at humour but the fact that it has not been taken off is a cause for concern, in my view. I urge you to take immediate action and remove the offensive post forthwith.

Reply not yet received

The post is yet to be deleted. While Mankad confirmed to The Hindu on Monday from Dubai that he has not received a reply, neither Ganguly nor Shah responded to queries regarding the issue.

“Vinoo Mankad was a great Indian cricketer and his stature as a player and person are unquestionable, you will agree. I strongly believe that the BCCI needs to come out and endorse (sic) the wrong associated with the eponymous dismissal and term it as it is rightly and under the Laws of Cricket labelled as a ‘RUN OUT’,” Mankad wrote in his email.

“As you are aware, ICC has dropped the unfortunate term referring to my father and have started calling it a Run Out,” he further wrote, adding that it is only right that the BCCI ought to take a lead and put this issue to bed, once and for all.

In 2017, the Laws of Cricket were amended and Mankading — which, according to legends, including Sunil Gavaskar, should have been referred to as Browned — was changed to run out.

The term came into effect when Mankad, the leggie, ran out Bill Brown for backing up too far during India’s tour to Australia in 1948. Last year, Vinoobhai, as one of the greatest all-rounders to have played the game was fondly known, was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.