[PICTURES] The trend of players rearranging bails during international games?

[BouncerGuy]

Cricket players are known for their superstitions, and one of the most fascinating is the act of changing bails. This quirky ritual has been performed in various matches, often just before a game-changing moment.

Some of the other examples that I remember are:

• Virat Kohli: During the first Test against South Africa in Centurion in 2023, Kohli switched the bails at the batsman's end after the 28th over.
• Mohammed Siraj: In the Brisbane Test against Australia in 2024, Siraj adjusted the bails at Marnus Labuschagne's end, which led to an exchange of bails.
• Stuart Broad: During the 2023 Ashes series at The Oval, Broad flipped the bails, which preceded Marnus Labuschagne's dismissal on the next delivery.
• Nathan Lyon: In the 2019 Ashes series, Lyon used the bail flip tactic, which led to the swift dismissals of Joe Root and Rory Burns

Should the ICC stamp down on players rearranging bails during international games?

Essentially, only umpires should touch the bails unless there's a special reason. What are your thoughts on this? Should the ICC enforce stricter rules?

 

[Kianig89]

Rizwan acting a cramp on numerous occasions and then got out

 

[BouncerGuy]

Babar did is today against South Africa in the first test. ICC must be watching this closely... no??

 

[Nikhil_cric]

What's the issue with this?

 

[FearlessRoar]

I think not a big deal - it doesn't harm the game

 

[PakistanMeriJaan]

Rizwan acting a cramp on numerous occasions and then got out

What’s acting a cramp? The post is about rearranging the bails

 

[MenInG]

What's the issue with this?

Needless.

If all players start doing this, cricket will become a circus.

The only time bails need to be touched is when they have been broken.

 

[Bhaijaan]

It’s not being over done and I think this adds some fun to the game at times. Cricket is already considered a very boring game and overdoing these rules and all isn’t a great idea at all time we’re trying to get people to watch test cricket.

Let’s not act like grumpy old uncles.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Babar did is today against South Africa in the first test. ICC must be watching this closely... no??

I think it is just a superstition nothing else. But there should be some kind of rule by ICC.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Needless.

If all players start doing this, cricket will become a circus.

The only time bails need to be touched is when they have been broken.

Seems pretty innocuous to me. Some old world charm and superstition in the game

 

[MenInG]

Seems pretty innocuous to me. Some old world charm and superstition in the game

Then why isn't everyone doing it?

or put it this way if all teams and players start to do it then will your opinion change?

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

What's the issue with this?

I don't get superstitions. I personally think they are kinda dumb. But they seem to affect certain players. Some very famous players had some strange superstitions.

 

[Major]

Currently, people seem to dismiss the issue, but the moment a situation arises where the bails are dislodged without any contact from the ball (perhaps due to the speed of the ball passing inches away), it will undoubtedly spark controversy. If such an incident results in a player being given out, it will force the ICC to step in. Unfortunately, the ICC has a history of being reactive rather than proactive when addressing such matters.

if players deliberately manipulate the stumps to make them more prone to dislodging, this can influence such decisions.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Stupid trend...makes no sense.. just a fad that would get worse over time

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Currently, people seem to dismiss the issue, but the moment a situation arises where the bails are dislodged without any contact from the ball (perhaps due to the speed of the ball passing inches away), it will undoubtedly spark controversy. If such an incident results in a player being given out, it will force the ICC to step in. Unfortunately, the ICC has a history of being reactive rather than proactive when addressing such matters.

if players deliberately manipulate the stumps to make them more prone to dislodging, this can influence such decisions.

I don't see how something like that happening wouldn't be picked up by the cameras, considering the amount of cameras there are around. Whenever I have seen players doing this, they always seem to pay great attention to putting the bails perfectly in place lol.

My problem with the debate around this is that we keep talking about how much cricket is a mental game, and how important mental toughness is. So international cricketers who are supposed to be high-level professional athletes should not be so easily distracted. At the end of the day, its all in your head. Someone rearranging the bails has no actual effect on the match itself. The sooner people stop ascribing to these nonsensical superstitions, the better off they will be.

 

[Markhor]

Let the cricketers breathe man, cricket already has a mountain of rules and regs.

If we keep saying don't do this, don't do that, we'll suck all the joy from the sport.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

I don't mind it. Doesn't effect the game in any way.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

just a mind game nothing more than that

 

[sweep_shot]

I don't think it is an issue. It can save time/speed up the game.

If any player is doing anything dodgy, it can be picked up by camera.

 

[gazza619]

There are plenty of things that annoys me in cricket but this is not one of them

For example ICC needs to remove dumb third umpires who need a gazillion replays to decide on out/not out or boundary decisions.

 

[FearlessRoar]

This is definitely becoming a solid trend – scenes from the 4th Test between Australia and India

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[karthikc]

Stupid trend...makes no sense.. just a fad that would get worse over time

No scientific temper among these cricketers and film stars in India

 

[karthikc]

There are plenty of things that annoys me in cricket but this is not one of them

For example ICC needs to remove dumb third umpires who need a gazillion replays to decide on out/not out or boundary decisions.

Also for lbw and catch why watch slow mo first instead of directly going to snicko

 

[BouncerGuy]

This is just a superstitious thing to do that has nothing to do with real world. It is just a hoax that may confuse Batters LOL