On the third day of the 2nd test match of England vs. India series Ian Bell was run out for leaving his ground thinking it was tea before the ball was called dead. Ian Bell made what some may say a school boy mistake of leaving his ground and deserved to be given out. The English captain Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower requested Dhoni to reconsider the appeal. Indian team and Dhoni withdrew the appeal and Ian Bell was given a reprieve. Dhoni kept the "Spirit of the game" with this action, and has been praised by media and retired players. What he did is truly commendable.
Why is that India is always expected to keep the "Spirit of the game" and not others especially England. If this had happened with India at the receiving end would English team and Andrew Strauss withdrawn their appeal, I would bet that they would say that player committed a school boy mistake and deserves to be out. Let us consider the in 2008 New Zealand vs. England one day game Grant Elliot collided with Ryan Sidebottom mid-pitch and guess who removed the bails none other than Ian Bell, the fielder who threw the ball was Kevin Peitersen. Where was the "Spirit of the game" with the then English captain Paul Collingwood not withdrawing the appeal even when asked by the umpires.
Lets take the jelly bean incident in 2007 series between England and India. The English player were trying intimidate Zaheer Khan by placing jelly beans on the pitch. I am sure that was part of the "Spirit of the game". Why do we have to dig into the past, lets just stay in the same game but the previous day. The English team appealed for a caught behind agains VVS Laxman, which was not given out. English captain requested a review of the decision and Hot Spot technology failed to detect any edge and the third umpire didnt have any undisputable evidence to over turn the decision. Stuart Broad admitted that he "cheekily inspected" Laxman's bat for traces of vaseline, which some people claim obscures Hot Spot technology for fine nicks. Does what Stuart Broad did fall in the "Spirit of the game". Why are there two scales when it comes to the "Spirit of the game" — one for India and one for others, especially England.
