Image: Ryan Rickelton's dismissal vs SRH was overturned but added only 10 more, finishing on 31 / © Cricket.com
Mumbai Indians games and controversies have always gone hand in hand, as the fans have witnessed over the last few years. The team has consistently been a strong contender in the IPL, and under the leadership of Hardik Pandya in 2025, nothing has changed. However, in their recent clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad, one incident particularly stood out, an unusual moment involving Ryan Rickelton’s dismissal that turned into a dramatic twist.
The moment occurred when the Mumbai Indians were chasing 163, and Ryan Rickelton was batting steadily. In what seemed like a regular dismissal, Rickelton attempted to play a short-pitched delivery from Zeeshan Ansari, only to mistime it. The ball flew straight to SRH skipper Pat Cummins at cover, who completed a sharp diving catch. Rickelton began walking back, and Suryakumar Yadav was already on his way to the crease. It seemed like a critical breakthrough for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
However, cricket often surprises us, and this moment was no different. The third umpire, while checking the fairness of the delivery, noticed something unusual. SRH wicket keeper Heinrich Klaasen had committed a rare error, his gloves had moved in front of the stumps before the ball passed the batter. According to MCC Law 27.3, the wicketkeeper must remain completely behind the stumps from the time the ball comes into play until it either touches the batter or passes the stumps. If this rule is violated, the delivery is declared a no-ball.
As a result, Rickelton was given not out, and the delivery was ruled a no-ball. Mumbai Indians not only retained a key batter at the crease but were also awarded a free hit, shifting the momentum firmly in their favor. Though Rickelton could not make a massive impact afterward, adding just 10 more runs to finish with 31 as this incident created a wave of discussion among fans and experts alike.
Such rare no-ball calls due to wicketkeeping violations are not seen often, making it one of the standout moments of IPL 2025 so far. It highlighted how even the smallest technicalities can change the course of a game and reminded everyone of the importance of precision in modern cricket.
As the game of cricket continues to evolve, it has become increasingly difficult for bowlers to thrive in modern conditions. From flat decks to small stadiums with shorter boundaries, bowlers have been facing a tough challenge for years. The introduction of new regulations, such as the one surrounding wicket-keepers’ positioning, has only added to the burden, making it even more difficult for bowlers to get their due credit.
A recent incident during the IPL 2025 match between Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad highlighted this growing frustration, as Varun Chakaravarthy, the Kolkata Knight Riders spinner, voiced his concerns about the rare no-ball call made after Heinrich Klaasen’s gloves were found ahead of the stumps. According to the MCC’s laws of cricket, the wicketkeeper must remain behind the stumps until the ball has passed the striker’s end. However, in this case, Klaasen’s gloves crossed the line during Zeesan Ansari’s delivery, leading to a no-ball being called by the third umpire.
While the call was technically under the laws, Chakaravarthy took to social media to question the fairness of such decisions, suggesting that if a keeper’s gloves cross the stumps, it should be a dead ball with a warning for the keeper, rather than a free hit for the batsman. His tweet, “If the keeper’s gloves come in front of the stumps, it should be a dead ball and a warning to the keeper so that he doesn’t do that again !!! Not a no-ball and a free hit!! What did the bowler do? Thinking out loud!! What do u all think???” resonated with many, as it highlighted the growing frustration among bowlers. For Chakaravarthy, this rule was an additional hurdle in an already challenging environment for bowlers.
The incident also shines a light on the broader issues faced by bowlers in today’s game. Flat pitches, small grounds, and batsmen-friendly conditions have already made bowling a much tougher job. With the advent of rules that favor the batting side even more, bowlers seem to be fighting a losing battle.
Chakaravarthy’s complaint about the Klaasen no-ball is just one example of how these changes have tipped the balance further against bowlers, adding to their challenges and making it harder for them to make an impact in the game. While the game of cricket has always been a delicate balance between bat and ball, the increasing leniency towards batting has made it more difficult for bowlers to shine. With rules like the one surrounding wicketkeeper positioning, it feels as if bowlers are being dealt an even harsher hand in the modern game.
Before Heinrich Klaasen’s famous error, where his gloves were ahead of the stumps, there was another similar incident, and this time involving Pakistan’s Azam Khan in the ILT20 2025 final. The grand final saw Dubai Capitals face Desert Vipers. Batting first, the Vipers put up 189 runs on the board, thanks to brilliant knocks from Max Holden (76) and captain Sam Curran (62*). It was a strong total, and the pressure was on the Capitals to chase it down. During the Capitals’ reply, a dramatic moment unfolded in the 8th over.
Rovman Powell tried to charge down the track, and Vipers’ spinner Nathan Sowter beat him in flight. Wicketkeeper Azam Khan quickly collected the ball and dislodged the bails. Powell was walking back when the TV umpire noticed something unusual, as Azam’s gloves were right in line with the stumps while collecting the ball.
According to the rules, this made it an illegal stumping. The delivery was declared a no-ball, and Powell was called back. Things got worse for the Vipers. The next ball was a free hit, but Sowter bowled it as a wide. When he finally bowled a legal delivery, Powell smashed it for six. He ended up scoring 63 off 38 balls and played a huge role in the Capitals’ four-wicket win with four balls to spare, and lifted their first Title.
Just like the incidents of Klaasen and Azam Khan, there was another moment too where Rishabh Pant’s error behind the stumps cost his team. During the second T20I between India and Bangladesh on November 7, 2019, at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot, Pant made a critical wicketkeeping error that gave Liton Das a lucky escape. Yuzvendra Chahal was bowling the fifth over of the innings, and on the third ball, he deceived Liton, who had charged down the track. The ball missed the bat, and Pant was quick to collect and dislodge the bails.
However, replays showed that a part of Pant’s gloves had moved in front of the stumps at the time of collecting the ball. According to the ICC laws, the wicketkeeper must remain entirely behind the stumps until the ball has either passed the stumps, touched the bat or batter, or a run is attempted. Since Pant’s gloves were in front when the ball made contact, the delivery was declared a no-ball.
It was a significant moment, as Liton Das was allowed to continue batting and punished India with two consecutive boundaries soon after. Liton was on 26 when another chance went begging, this time due to a misjudgment from Rohit Sharma on a top edge. Eventually, Chahal managed to dismiss Liton, thanks to a moment of redemption from Pant himself, who ran out the Bangladesh opener with a sharp direct hit at the non-striker’s end. This incident, much like Klaasen’s and Azam Khan’s, sparked conversations around the strict interpretation of wicket-keeping rules.