NEW DELHI: A rare and unexpected moment unfolded at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday during the IPL clash between Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, as Ravindra Jadeja was forced to change his bat after it failed the umpire’s inspection.
The incident took place right after Jadeja walked out to bat following Sam Curran’s dismissal in the fifth over.
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As Jadeja arrived, the on-field umpire stopped play momentarily to inspect his bat using the standard bat gauge — a tool used to ensure bats conform to size regulations.
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Much to the surprise of the crowd and players, the bat did not pass through the gauge, prompting the umpire to ask for a replacement.
A fresh bat was quickly fetched from the CSK dugout, allowing play to resume.
The brief delay added a layer of drama early in Chennai’s innings, drawing plenty of reactions from fans both in the stadium and online.
Jadeja had come to the crease after Sam Curran fell to a clever delivery by Harshal Patel.
In the 4.3 over, Curran attempted to pull a slower short ball outside off but mistimed it badly, sending a simple catch to Aniket Verma at deep mid-wicket. He departed for 9 runs off 10 balls.
And despite giving CSK some respite with his knock of 21 off 17, Jadeja couldn’t capitalise on the brisk start, falling to Kamindu Mendis in the 10th over.
Earlier, Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bowl first.
SRH made notable changes, bringing in Mohammed Shami and Kamindu Mendis, while naming Travis Head, Abhinav Manohar, Sachin Baby, Rahul Chahar, and Wiaan Mulder as substitutes.
CSK also shuffled their lineup, with Dewald Brevis and Deepak Hooda replacing Rachin Ravindra and Vijay Shankar.
The unusual bat inspection moment, though brief, was one of the talking points in a match that was already high on stakes and expectations.
