Introduction
Retired Hurt in cricket is a term used when a batsman has to leave the field due to injury or illness during their innings. This rule allows the batsman to take a break from the game and potentially return to bat later in the innings. Let’s dive deeper into what retired hurt means in cricket and how it affects the game.
Explanation
When a batsman is retired hurt, they are not considered out, but their innings is not complete either. The decision to retire hurt is usually made by the team’s physiotherapist, captain, or the batsman themselves if they feel they are unable to continue batting due to physical discomfort.
Once a batsman retires hurt, they can only return to bat once all other available batsmen have been dismissed, or their team captain decides to declare the innings closed.
Examples
One famous example of a retired hurt incident in cricket is when legendary Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting had to leave the field during a Test match due to a finger injury. He later returned to bat after receiving treatment and helped his team to victory.
Case Studies
In 2019, during a T20 match between India and South Africa, South African batsman David Miller had to retire hurt after sustaining an injury while batting. His team eventually lost the match as they were unable to chase down the target without his contribution.
Statistics
According to cricket records, the highest number of retired hurt incidents in a single Test match is three, which occurred during a match between England and South Africa in 1939. This shows that injuries and illnesses are common occurrences in cricket that can impact the outcome of games.
