Family want Mankad name to apply to bowler non-striker run outs.
Ben Horne and Joe Barton.
News Corporation Australia.
Friday, 6 January 2023.
PTG 4096-20077.
The family of former Indian player Vinoo Mankad has pleaded with the cricket world not to speak for them by cancelling a term they proudly claim. ‘Mankad' or ‘Mankading' has been part of the cricket vernacular ever since the Indian all-rounder famously ran out Australian Bill Brown at the non-striker’s end in Sydney more than 75 years ago. Despite the dismissal always being completely within the laws of the game, a stigma has always existed over whether it is against the spirit of cricket and therefore the term Mankading polarises players and fans, right up to the latest such incident: Adam Zampa’s attempted run-out in the Big Bash League earlier this week (PTG 4092-20060, 4 January 2023).
As a result, leading administrators Todd Greenberg from the Australian Cricketers Association and Lee Germon from Cricket NSW have attempted to start a push to detach the deed from the name out of respect to the Mankad family (PTG 4094-20071, 5 January 2023). But in a stunning twist, it can be revealed the family in fact want the name to stay and are proud of having it up in lights.
Harsh Mankad, a grandson of the late player said “Personally, I’m always delighted to see my grandfather being remembered. I feel it to be a great honour for our name to be associated with a cricketing term. I’d love to see the ‘Mankad' or ‘Mankading' stay and keep alive his memories and legacy as a great competitor and sportsman deeply respected and admired by everyone I’ve met and those who knew him and experienced life with him!”.
Mankad’s two sons, including former Indian Test player Ashok, are dead, but grandson Harsh is a professional tennis coach in Minneapolis in the United States, having previously been ranked as India’s number one tennis player for many years in the early to mid-2000s.
On Friday Greenberg joined a chorus of administrators and commentators calling for the name to change out of respect to the Mankad family (PTG 4094-20070, 5 January 2023). “I’ve been a bit frustrated over the last 24-48 hours talking about it like it’s a debate. I don’t think it’s a debate. I think I’s very black and white. It shouldn’t be the word Mankad”, said Greenberg on Melbourne radio. “The players have a role in eradicating that term. It’s a run out at the non-striker’s end. We have a huge opportunity and responsibility as the elite players to make sure we change that. Language is important. Tone is important. And an understanding that when you break rules there are consequences”.
Indian cricket journalist Bharat Sundaresan said he can understand why Mankad’s grandson wants the term to remain. “”Doing a Mankad means playing by the rules”, Sundaresan said. “I think it’s a positive. I really think it’s a positive. I’m not surprised the family now wants that name to remain. Now he comes across as a hero. He did it before anyone else”.