Maharashtra batter, refused to leave after being given out by umpire causing 15-minute delay, handed one-match Ranji ban

Maharashtra batter Ankit Bawne, on Thursday, was handed a one-match suspension for dissent. The announcement was made by the BCCI before the sixth round of the Ranji Trophy 2024/25 season, where Maharashtra faced Baroda at the Golf Club Ground in Nashik. Maharashtra batter Ankit Bawne gets banned for one Ranji Trophy match

The incident had happened at the MCA ground in November last year during Maharashtra's Group A match against Services, prior to the start of the white-ball tournaments. Bawne was caught in the slips by Services' Shubham Rohilla off Amit Shukla, but was unhappy with the umpire's decision as he reckoned it wasn't out. He had refused to leave the field for about 15 minutes as the decision could not be challenged due to the unavailability of DRS. The contest resumed following the intervention of match referee Amit Sharma and Maharashtra coach Sulakshan Kulkarni.

"The Maharashtra Cricket Association would like to officially inform that our Ranji Trophy player, Ankeet Bawne, is currently serving a one-match ban imposed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)," the MCA said in a release on Thursday.

"As a result, Ankeet Bawne is unavailable for selection in the ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Baroda. However, we are pleased to confirm that he will be available for the next match and continue contributing to the success of the Maharashtra team," the release said.

"We respect the decisions of the BCCI and remain committed to upholding the principles of discipline and sportsmanship in the game of cricket. The team is fully focused on delivering its best in the ongoing game, and we look forward to Ankeet's participation in the upcoming matches," the state cricket's governing body added.

Bawne backed by Ruturaj Gaikwad, Maharashtra coach

Although there was conclusive evidence that the ball had bounced before Rohilla completed the catch, with DRS facility available, Bawne, who was the stand-in captain in that game, could not challenge the call. But Maharashtra coach Sulakshan Kulkarni later lashed out at the umpire.

He said: "Players are subject to fines and reprimand, what about proper assessment of umpires. Why do the same erring umpires continue to officiate and play spoilsport? When there are blunders of this nature, the anger is justified."

Maharashtra's regular captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was then away on the India A tour of Australia, had posted images of the dismissal on his social media account, suggesting that Bawne was not out and the decision was incorrect.

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