The MCC has explained why Akash Deep's stunning delivery to remove Joe Root was not a backfoot no-ball in the Edgbaston Test.

Replacing Jasprit Bumrah in the second Test of the five-match series at Edgbaston, pacer Akash Deep handed India the jackpot wicket of former England skipper Joe Root in the 10th over. Deep crashed through Root’s defence with a peach of a delivery. Root was beaten, but where Deep's back foot landed during his delivery became a major talking point.

Some fans and experts argued that Root’s dismissal should have been overturned, claiming Indian pacer Deep had overstepped. Despite Root being bowled, they pointed out that Deep’s back foot appeared to touch the return crease, constituting a no-ball under the ICC rules.

“The delivery from Akash Deep - which we said was wide off the crease - his foot on the back crease is out. Looks like by about two inches. Maybe a little bit more. But comfortably. So his back foot, which needs to land within the line, just taps about two inches over the line. Not picked up," Alison Mitchell said on BBC Test Match Special.

Yorkshire icon Joe Root is England's all-time leading run-getter in Tests

placeholder image — Yorkshire icon Joe Root is England's all-time leading run-getter in Tests

Some commentators, including former England batter Jonathan Trott, suggested that Deep had overstepped and bowled a no-ball. However, former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who was also on commentary duty at Edgbaston, firmly backed the pacer, expressing full confidence that the delivery was legal. Third umpire Paul Reiffel, responsible for monitoring front-foot and return crease infringements, raised no objections at the time.

What is no-ball law in cricket?

According to Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Law 21.5.1, the bowler’s back foot must land within and not touching the return crease appertaining to his/her stated mode of delivery. The key wording in the law is “land,” as only the initial landing position of Deep’s back foot determines whether the delivery should be deemed a no-ball. At the moment of landing, his foot was clearly inside the return crease - before his heel later hovered over, and possibly brushed, the line. Since it was the point of landing that mattered, the delivery was ultimately ruled fair.

MCC breaks silence on controversial Root dismissal

Addressing the controversy surrounding Sheffield icon’s dismissal in the second Test against India, the MCC released a statement and explained why the delivery was legal.

“While Deep landed unusually wide on the crease, and some of his back foot appeared to touch the ground outside the return crease, the third umpire did not call a no ball. MCC is happy to clarify that this was a correct decision in Law," the MCC said in a statement.

“For a delivery to be fair in respect of the feet, in the delivery stride the bowler's back foot must land within and not touching the return crease appertaining to his/her stated mode of delivery. MCC has always defined the moment that the back foot lands as the first point of contact with the ground. As soon as there is any part of the foot touching the ground, that foot has landed, and it is the foot's position at that time which is to be considered for a back foot no ball," the statement added.