IPL 2023: Harsha Bhogle in support of Harshal Patel's run out attempt, Ben Stokes suggests rule change

'Ifs' and 'buts' are among things that will haunt the Royal Challengers Bangalore for sometime now.

If only Harshal Patel had managed to run-out Ravi Bishnoi on the last ball of the 20th over on Monday night, things could've played out differently.

But alas, Patel missed and RCB's chance to win the nail-biter at home slipped through their fingers.

The last-over thriller that ensued at Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday night has left fans boggled and critics talking.

RCB pacer Harshal Patel, tasked with defending 5 runs off the last over, attempted to run-out Lucknow’s Ravi Bishnoi at the non-striker’s end on the innings' very last ball but he missed.

Had the pacer been successful, Lucknow would’ve collapsed at 212 forcing a Super Over to decide the fate of the game.

However, as Patel got a do-over of the final delivery, it was Lucknow who emerged victorious, needing just one run to win.

Commentator Harsha Bhogle was quick to comment on Ravi Bishnoi, who was seen leaving the crease before the ball had been bowled and weighed in on Harshal’s failed attempt.

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He tweeted saying, ‘Bishnoi was leaving his crease early. Any silly people out there still saying you shouldn't run the non-striker out?’

Replying to Bhogle’s comment, Englishman Ben Stokes suggested a remedial measure to keep eager batters in check.

‘Thought’s Harsha? Umpires discretion.. 6 penalty runs if obviously trying to gain unfair advantage by leaving crease early? Would stop batters doing it without all the controversy,’ Stokes wrote on Twitter.

A run-out at the non-striker’s end is attempted when the batter is leaving the crease before the ball is delivered. The act, committed by the bowler, was popularised by India’s Vinoo Mankad, earning the name ‘mankading’.

‘Mankading’ has had its fair share of controversies and has been deemed as ‘unfair play’ by players and experts alike.

But the International Cricket Council (ICC) had ruled last year that ‘mankading’ will officially be called a run-out and will no longer be ‘unfair play’.

Owing to the run-out’s controversial nature, Stokes opined that if a batter attempts to leave the crease earlier to gain unfair advantage, at the umpire’s discretion, the batting team should be penalised 6 runs. The penalty, added Stokes, will stop batters from backing up minus the controversy of the run-out.