In addition to reigniting debates about the legislation, the event caused the great Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin to respond. Much attention has been drawn to the recent contentious dismissal of Lamabam Ajay Singh of Manipur during a Ranji Trophy Plate League game against Meghalaya. Players, officials, and spectators are all in shock over the incident. One of cricket’s rarest dismissals, “hitting the ball twice,” led to Ajay’s dismissal.
Manipur was struggling to stay in the game after giving up an 88-run lead in the first innings when the unexpected dismissal took place in Surat on Tuesday. Ajay defended a delivery from left-arm spinner Aryan Bora in an attempt to steady the innings. But Ajay instinctively swung his bat again to try to keep the ball away from the wickets as it rolled back towards the stumps.
MCC Law 34 states that unless the second strike is made purely to preserve the stumps, a hitter is out if they intentionally hit the ball a second time while it is still in play. Although it appeared such was Ajay’s aim, umpire Dharmesh Bhardwaj determined that he had struck the ball wilfully, which prompted an instant appeal and his dismissal. Surprisingly, the batter left without objecting, and neither Ajay nor the Manipur team challenged the ruling.
In response to the strange discharge, Ashwin talked about his personal experience and stated that Ajay shouldn’t have been fired in accordance with the law.
“I was expelled from Gully Cricket today for the most uncommon offence ever—hitting the ball twice. The first shot was defended. Second shot: save my stumps with a desperate swipe. The lane was yelling “OUTTT!” louder than a World Cup final, which was the third item. In a Ranji Trophy match, Lamabam Singh was awarded for hitting the ball twice. According to Ashwin’s post on X, “it’s out only in gully cricket and not according to the actual laws of the game.”
Today I got out in gully cricket for the rarest crime ever — hitting the ball twice.
First shot: defended.
Second shot: panic swipe to save my stumps.
Third thing: the entire lane shouting “OUTTT!” louder than a World Cup final. 😂🏏Lamabam Singh was given out for hitting the… pic.twitter.com/YIQUD5AnjA
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) November 19, 2025
Dhruv Mahajan of Jammu & Kashmir was the previous batsman to be removed in this manner in Ranji Trophy cricket prior to Ajay, in 2005–06. The competition has only ever awarded three other winners in this way: K. Bavanna (1963–64), Shahid Parvez (1986–87), and Anand George (1998–99).
Ajay “could’ve padded it away,” according to venue officials, but he decided to block the ball with his bat instead, which forced the umpire to strictly enforce the law. The moment passed swiftly as Ajay accepted the judgement, although Manipur might have been called not out had he disputed the decision.
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