Maharashtra cricketer Ankit Bawne got hit with a one-match suspension for showing dissent, as announced by the BCCI just before the sixth round of the Ranji Trophy 2024/25 season, where Maharashtra was set to play Baroda at the Golf Club Ground in Nashik.

This all went down back in November during a Group A match against Services at the MCA ground. Bawne was dismissed by Services' Shubham Rohilla off Amit Shukla but was pretty upset with the umpire's call, believing he was not out. He ended up staying on the field for about 15 minutes, refusing to leave since they couldn't challenge the decision without DRS. The game only got back on track after match referee Amit Sharma and Maharashtra's coach Sulakshan Kulkarni stepped in.

The Maharashtra Cricket Association released a statement on Thursday saying, "We want to officially announce that our Ranji Trophy player, Ankeet Bawne, is currently serving a one-match ban from the BCCI."

They added, "This means Ankeet Bawne won't be available for the ongoing match against Baroda, but we're happy to say he'll be back for the next one and ready to help the Maharashtra team succeed."

The governing body also mentioned, "We respect the BCCI's decisions and are dedicated to maintaining discipline and sportsmanship in cricket. The team is focused on giving their best in the current match, and we can't wait for Ankeet to join us in the upcoming games."

Bawne is supported by Ruturaj Gaikwad, the coach from Maharashtra

Even though there was clear proof that the ball had bounced before Rohilla made the catch, Bawne, who was filling in as captain for that match, couldn't contest the umpire's decision since the DRS was available. Later, Maharashtra's coach, Sulakshan Kulkarni, didn't hold back in criticizing the umpire.

He remarked, "Players face fines and reprimands, but what about a proper evaluation of umpires? Why do the same umpires who make mistakes keep officiating and ruining the game? When mistakes like this happen, it's totally understandable to be upset."

Maharashtra's usual captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was on the India A tour in Australia at the time, shared pictures of the dismissal on social media, implying that Bawne should have been given not out and that the decision was wrong.

Read Also: Rohit Sharma's Ranji Return: Three Big Sixes Followed by a Costly Dismissal

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