Ind vs Eng 1st Test: What rule breach saw England gift India five runs?

India were awarded five penalty runs during the second session of Day 1 in the opening Test against England at Headingley on Friday, following a fielding infringement involving England team. The incident occurred when a loose ball struck a helmet that had been improperly placed on the ground.

The moment unfolded when England wicketkeeper Jamie Smith dived to his left in an attempt to collect a wayward delivery. Unfortunately, he failed to gather the ball cleanly, and it deflected off his gloves towards a helmet lying on the field. The ball made contact with the helmet, prompting the on-field umpires to immediately signal five penalty runs in India’s favour, as per the Laws of Cricket.

According to Law 28.2 of the MCC rulebook, if a fielder`s equipment, such as a helmet, is left on the field and the ball touches it while in play, the batting side is automatically awarded five runs. Protective gear not in use must be placed directly behind the wicketkeeper and aligned with the stumps at either end. In this case, the helmet had been left in an illegal position, resulting in the penalty.

England captain Ben Stokes appeared visibly frustrated by the decision, though the umpires had no discretion in the matter.

Earlier, India ended the second session of the opening Test against England in a commanding position, reaching 215 for two at tea. Yashasvi Jaiswal stood tall with a brilliant unbeaten century, while captain Shubman Gill provided valuable support with a composed half-century, as the pair stitched together an unbroken 123-run stand for the third wicket.

Jaiswal, continuing his impressive run in Test cricket, brought up his fifth century in the format with a fluent innings that combined elegance with authority. The 23-year-old left-hander reached the landmark in 144 deliveries, peppering the field with 16 boundaries and a towering six. Displaying superb footwork and timing, Jaiswal was proactive against both pace and spin, regularly rotating the strike and punishing loose deliveries.

At the other end, Gill looked equally confident in his first innings as India’s Test captain. Coming in at a crucial juncture after India had lost two wickets in quick succession just before lunch, Gill settled in quickly and played with a blend of caution and flair. He struck seven boundaries in his unbeaten 58 off 74 balls, showing great composure and awareness as he kept the scoreboard ticking and absorbed the pressure effectively.

This article first appeared on Mid Day