ENG vs IND, 2nd Test: Controversy explodes in Edgbaston! Was Joe Root wrongly given out on No-Ball?

Day four of the absorbing second Test saw a new controversy take shape during the second England innings at Edgbaston. Indian pacer Akash Deep was drawn into the spotlight following the dismissal of Joe Root during the 11th over of the run chase, courtesy of an absolute peach. But in the wake of his dismissal, visuals of his back foot touching the return crease have attracted the attention of numerous viewers worldwide.

Many have now started to question the legitimacy of Root's dismissal. From the naked eye, fans and leading experts argue that it was a clear case of a back-foot no-ball, which somehow slipped through the cracks and was not looked at by the officials. Deep had bowled the delivery wide of the crease to get the ball to angle back in to breach Root's impenetrable defenses. 

Although it was deemed out by the officials at that time, former England cricketer Alison Mitchell, while doing commentary on BBC TMS, didn't seem to be impressed by the decision. Mitchell highlighted the fact that Deep's back foot had gone over the return crease by a good 2-3 inches and expected the officials to spot this glaring error. 

"The delivery from Akash Deep - which we said was wide off the crease - his foot on the back crease is out. Looks like by about two inches. Maybe a little bit more. But comfortably. So his back foot, which needs to land within the line, just taps about two inches over the line. Not picked up!"

See also: Indian bowler Akash Deep’s struggle story: From losing his father to becoming Team India’s new saviour

Akash Deep bowls Joe Root with a jaffa

Akash deep crashes through joe root's defense #AkashDeep #INDvsENG #BCCI pic.twitter.com/CczPnWrBsY

— Samaresh maity (@Samares66435304) July 5, 2025

What do the current regulations say?

Amidst this evolving controversy, it is imperative to go back to the rule book and understand what the no-ball law says. According to MCC Law 21.5.1, for a delivery to be deemed fair with respect to the back foot, some part of the bowler's back foot has to land inside the return crease. Under no circumstances is the bowler allowed to touch the return crease with his or her back foot. Most importantly, only the first contact is considered while adjudicating back-foot no-balls. 

"For a delivery to be fair in respect of the feet, in the delivery stride (21.5.1) the bowler's back foot must land within and not touch the return crease appertaining to his/her stated mode of delivery. (21.5.2) the bowler's front foot must land with some part of the foot, whether grounded or raised - on the same side of the imaginary line joining the two middle stumps as the return crease described in 21.5.1, and - behind the popping crease."

Though Deep's back foot definitely seemed to be in contact with the return crease, subsequent replays confirm that the back heel of Deep's back foot seemed to be raised in the air when his back foot first made contact with the ground. This notion was echoed by the former Indian head coach cum commentator Ravi Shastri, who was there inside the comm box when the dismissal took place. 

Meanwhile, Root had a forgettable outing in the Edgbaston Test and failed to score big despite the conditions being super-batting friendly. In the first innings, he faced 46 balls and added just 22 runs to the team's total. In the second innings, he could only add six runs.