"This should be considered as part of the deception that the game has" - Sunil Gavaskar supports fake fielding in cricket

Legendary Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar has demanded that the fake fielding laws of the ICC should be scrapped and instead be considered as a tool of deception against the batters running between the wickets.

During the India vs Bangladesh Group 2 match in Adelaide in the ongoing T20 World Cup, former Indian skipper Virat Kohli was spotted feigning a throw at the non-striker’s end. This was when Bangladesh openers Liton Das and Najmul Hossain Shanto took a couple of runs in the seventh over bowled by Axar Patel.

After India's five-run win over Bangladesh via DLS method, Bangladesh wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan accused Kohli of fake fielding which went unnoticed by the on-field umpires. The fake fielding instance divided social media users on either side of the debate.

@cricbuzz @virendersehwag @parthiv9 @gauravkapur How come this not called fake fielding? https://t.co/UYvVpiL8mk

According to ICC’s Law 41.5, labeled the ‘fake fielding’ law:

“It is unfair for any fielder wilfully to attempt, by word or action, to distract, deceive or obstruct either batsman after the striker has received the ball.”

Clause 41.5.2 states that:

"It is for either one of the umpires to decide whether any distraction, deception or obstruction is wilful or not.”

On September 30, 2017, Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne was the first player to be sanctioned for fake fielding during a domestic game between Queensland and Cricket Australia XI. The ICC is yet to comment or take note of Hasan's accusations against Kohli.

Expressing his views on why fake fielding is a type of art for fielders to deceive batters, Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar:

"The other contentious one is that of fake fielding. If cricket is a game of deception where the bowlers are trying to get the batsmen out with deception and batsmen too trying to outsmart the bowlers by taking different guards and moving from side to side to deceive the bowler into bowling where they can hit him, then what’s wrong with a fielder faking he has got the ball in his hands when he actually doesn’t have it.

"This should be considered as part of the deception that the game has."

"It creates a bit of drama, which is always good for TV" - Sunil Gavaskar on batters crossing the crease after catch taken

Cricketer-turned-commentator Sunil Gavaskar also questioned the change in the laws pertaining to batters crossing the crease after the completion of a catch. Gavaskar believes that the batter changing the strike adds a lot of drama for the television audience.

Gavaskar added:

"There were many instances in the tournament where if the old law — batsmen crossing each other when a catch being taken could retain the strike — was followed, then many a game would have had a different ending.

"Why this rule which creates quite a bit of excitement with both teams anxiously checking the TV replays to see if the batsmen crossed before the catch was completed has been changed is beyond understanding. It creates a bit of drama, which is always good for TV."

India are starting to switch gears against Zimbabwe 👀

What target will they be looking to set?

#T20WorldCup | #ZIMvIND |📝: bit.ly/ZIMvIND-S12 https://t.co/PqAODfXRLs

India, Pakistan, New Zealand, and England have qualified for the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup. Pakistan will play against New Zealand on Wednesday, November 9, in Sydney, while India take on England in Adelaide on Thursday, November 10.