IND v NZ, 1st Test: Why Was Ajaz Patel Not Allowed To Bowl Outside Leg Stump?

Cricket Image for IND v NZ, 1st Test: Why Was Ajaz Patel Not Allowed To Bowl Outside Leg Stump? (Image Source: AFP/ BCCI)

Day 1 of the first test match between India and New Zealand hasn't been a spinners' paradise as it was expected to be. The Kiwis played three spinners on this track but have so far struggled to pick wickets. 

Ajaz Patel, in particular, hasn't been as effective as he would have hoped bowling in left-arm spin in India. Having bowled more than 20 overs in a day without much impact, Ajaz tried to do something different to keep the run-scoring in check against a well-set Shreyas Iyer and Ravindra Jadeja. 

Patel tried to bowl negative line, which means bowling outside the leg stump. Bowling outside leg doesn't make much difference since umpires don't give wides. However, when an umpire detects negative bowling from the bowler then he/she can give wide. 

Image Source - BCCI TV

Law 22.1.3 of ICC playing conditions states that "For bowlers attempting to utilise the rough outside a batsman’s leg stump, not necessarily as a negative tactic, the strict limited over Wide interpretation shall be applied." 

Similarly, Law 22.1.4 says," For bowlers whom umpires consider to be bowling down the leg side as a negative tactic, the strict limited over Wide interpretation shall be applied." 

This is the reason why umpire Virender Sharma talked to New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and bowler Ajaz Patel to give a warning about calling wide if the bowler continues to bowl with similar negative tactics.