IPL 2022: [Watch] Varun Chakravarthy in shock as bails don't fall after he beats Ambati Rayudu

Snippets from Ambati Rayudu's lucky break against Varun Chakravarthy. (PC: IPLT20.com)
Snippets from Ambati Rayudu's lucky break against Varun Chakravarthy. (PC: IPLT20.com)

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)'s mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy cleverly beat and almost clean-bowled Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Ambati Rayudu for just 2 runs in the IPL 2022 opener on Saturday but the bails refused to fall.

It happened on the penultimate ball of the sixth over. Rayudu was visibly struggling to pick Chakravarthy's variations and decided to take him on with a shuffle and slog-sweep. The tweaker, perhaps anticipating it, bowled a googly which missed Rayudu's bat and kissed the leg-stump which immediately tilted a bit.

But surprisingly the bails didn't come off and the ball rolled past wicketkeeper Sheldon Jackson's glove. Chakravarthy couldn't believe his luck as he watched the ball roll to the boundary. Here's a video of the same:

IPL authorities and the team will hope that this isn't a precursor to what's to come this season. The bails are heavier than basic wooden ones because they encompass the lights and the accompanying technology.

Bails being too heavy or not falling despite the stumps getting hit often give an unfair advantage to the batters like in Rayudu's case and the IPL won't want to see a repeat of this incident.

Varun Chakravarthy gets Robin Uthappa in the next over

The spinner was unlucky on the fifth ball of his first over but not on the same ball in his second over. He maintained the pressure and troubled Robin Uthappa as well. To a similar in-coming delivery that couldn't get Rayudu out, Uthappa tried a flick and missed. It went into Jackson's hands this time and the keeper sharply stumped him.

Rayudu didn't stay at the crease for too long either and was involved in a messy run-out with skipper Ravindra Jadeja, walking back for a 17-ball 15. Shivam Dube followed him after a 6-ball 3. Jadeja and his captaincy predecessor MS Dhoni have joined hands at the crease and will now look to take CSK to a respectable total.

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