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Explained: Why India Were Awarded Five Penalty Runs In Their 51st Over At Headingley
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Shubman Gill-led India were awarded five extra runs after a ball hit a helmet on the ground during the Headingley Test against England.
The Shubman Gill-led Indian team were awarded five extra runs on Friday during Day 1 of the Headingley Test against England, after a ball hit by Yashasvi Jaiswal went on to hit the helmet placed on the ground behind wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, with England left dumbfounded by the sequence of events.
The scenario continued to go from bad to worse as Jaiswal and Gill proved how Ben Stokes made the wrong call of bowling first on a batting-friendly pitch.
To make matters worse for England, just minutes before the stoppage for tea on the first day, they were penalised and hence India were awarded five runs. As soon as England were found guilty, Joe Root could not believe what had just happened.
The incident happened on the fifth delivery of the 51st over off the bowling of Stokes. Jaiswal edged the ball, but it fell short of the second slip fielder Harry Brook. Not able to hold on to it, he ended up pushing it towards the helmet placed behind Smith.
As soon as the delivery smacked the helmet, Root could not believe that India were handed five penalty runs due to an error by Brook.
When the incident happened, there was confusion all around as Chris Gaffaney and Paul Reiffel deliberated upon how many runs India got as they were seen checking if the batters ran for a single too. In the end, it was concluded that Jaiswal and Gill didn't run along.
As per MCC Law 28.3.3, if the delivery strikes the protective helmet while in play, it shall become dead and the umpire shall award five penalty runs to the batting team.
Jaiswal made a characterful century and Gill crafted a graceful half-century as India punished a lacklustre England to reach a formidable 215/2 at tea on the first day of the opening Test of the five-match series in Headingley.
England might see this innings as an ominous sign from Jaiswal that he might just replicate that 712-run series against them in India in 2024.
Jaiswal was dismissed outside off stump twice while playing for India A against the England Lions in the recent tour games, but in Headingley, he didn't repeat his errors.
First Published:
June 20, 2025, 21:05 IST
