A bizarre incident in a Ranji Trophy match between Bengal and Services has sparked controversy after Bengal captain Abhimanyu Easwaran was run out in an unusual manner. The incident occurred on Thursday, January 22, 2026, during Bengal's Ranji Trophy match against Services.
Easwaran, an experienced batter, was batting on 81 when the controversial dismissal took place. At the end of the 41st over, Sudip Chatterjee pushed the final delivery straight back to the bowler, Aditya Kumar. Easwaran, assuming that the over was complete and that the umpires had signaled for drinks, casually stepped out of his crease and began walking towards the pavilion. He was not attempting to take a run or gain an advantage.
Unfortunately for Easwaran, the ball deflected off Kumar's fingers and onto the stumps while he was out of his ground. Services appealed for a run-out, and the umpires consulted with the third umpire, who ultimately ruled Easwaran out. The dismissal ended Easwaran's innings, in which he looked set to score his 28th first-class century.
Following the day's play, Easwaran took full responsibility for the incident, displaying remarkable sportsmanship. He admitted that his mistake was surprising, even to himself. While some felt the opposition could have recalled him in the spirit of the game, Easwaran stated that there was no question of that, as it was entirely his fault. He explained that he thought the bowler had collected the ball and instinctively moved forward. Easwaran's honest assessment reflected the maturity expected of a senior player who has represented India A and featured in numerous domestic campaigns.
The incident has drawn comparisons to the famous Ian Bell run-out controversy from the 2011 Trent Bridge Test. In that instance, Bell was similarly dismissed before tea, but India withdrew their appeal after intervention from then-England captain Andrew Strauss.
Easwaran, who is 30 years old, has had a consistent run in the Ranji Trophy and is nearing 8000 runs in the competition. He has previously traveled to England with the Indian team but did not play in any matches. He was also not selected for the West Indies Test series. Easwaran will captain Bengal in the current Ranji Trophy season.
This is not the first setback for Easwaran in recent times. In January 2025, he suffered a hairline fracture in his finger during a club game, which forced him to miss crucial Ranji Trophy matches. Despite these setbacks, Easwaran remains focused on his goal of playing for India. He has been named in the Indian Test squad on several occasions but has yet to make his debut.
