India’s Ruturaj Gaikwad got the worst of cricket’s weird quirks during a recent match against Australia. He opened the batting with Yashasvi Jaiswal, but never faced a single ball. Jaiswal took strike first and fired off a quick 10 runs from four deliveries. On the fifth ball, some commotion in the crowd caused a brief delay. When play resumed, Jaiswal popped the ball over the infield, and both batters hesitated mid-pitch while deciding whether to run. Confusion followed — Jaiswal gave mixed signals and ultimately backed out, leaving Gaikwad stranded in the middle of the pitch.
Australia capitalized. Gaikwad was run out before facing a ball. His innings ended without him ever getting started. Jaiswal stayed in, probably frustrated but still at the crease. Gaikwad could only walk off after being left hanging. To make matters worse, Australia’s Marcus Stoinis, who fielded the ball and helped execute the runout, laughed openly after the play. Full-on grin, celebratory high fives, even some sarcastic staring. It came off as petty, kicking Gaikwad while he was already down.
There’s no close equivalent in other sports where a player’s game can end without a single chance to contribute, through no fault of their own. No injury, no coaching decision, just a teammate’s bad judgment. It’s a reminder that cricket can be brutally unforgiving, even if you’ve done nothing wrong.