How a 'helmet' helped Kerala claim Gujarat’s prized wicket in Ranji Trophy semifinals
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There was some confusion regarding the 'rules' when Kerala took the last wicket in Gujarat's first innings on Friday, Day 5 of the Ranji Trophy semifinals in Ahmedabad. Sachin Baby caught Arzan Nagwaswalla in the slips after the ball bounced off the helmet of Salman Nizar, who was fielding at forward short leg.
While Kerala players celebrated, Nagwaswalla and the Gujarat dugout seemed unsure for some time. The commentators, who were former internationals, also seemed clueless about the rules in the circumstances.
Even the umpire did not put his finger up straightaway; perhaps he was checking on the wellbeing of the fielder, who had taken the brunt of the powerful shot. Eventually, the out was given, and Kerala claimed a dramatic 2-run lead from the cusps of capitulation after posting 457.
Well, within the rules
The rules that validated the dismissal fall under the BCCI's (Board of Control for Cricket in India) 'Playing Conditions'. The set of guidelines refers to what equipment constitutes the 'part of the person' when 'fielding the ball'.
Appendix A defines 'The Person' as "... any clothing or legitimate external protective equipment that a player is wearing except, in the case of a batsman, his bat."
Further, clause 28.2 regarding 'fielding the ball' says that "a fielder may field the ball with any part of his person, except by extending his clothing with his hands".
Going by the above definitions, the helmet the close-in fielder (Salman) was wearing was part of his person, and hence, Sachin's catch in the slips was valid. These rules are also in sync with the International Cricket Council's (ICC) rule changes, which came into effect in September 2017. According to the ICC's revised rules, "a batsman can be caught, run out, or stumped even if the ball makes contact with a helmet worn by the fielder or wicketkeeper."