Ravindra Jadeja's bat smacking act goes in vain as he becomes latest to fail gauge test: 'If you break it or...'

Ravindra Jadeja has become the latest cricketer to fail the bat gauge test in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 edition. The CSK batter failed the initial test when he came out to bat in the fifth over of the innings against SunRisers Hyderabad at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. As soon as Jadeja walked out to the middle, the on-field officials checked his bat several times.

Jadeja sported a wry smile throughout, and the incident ended with the all-rounder pointing towards the dressing room, asking for another bat. In a hilarious chain of events, Jadeja also banged his bat on the field a couple of times so that his bat passed the test.

After banging his bat on the field, he asked the officials to check whether his bat was passing through the gauge. However, it did not, and Shreyas Gopal came running out with another bat.

As the incident occurred on the field, former Australia captain Michael Clarke said on air, "The bat you take out on the ground—that’s the only one that needs to be checked. Then, if you break it or get a new one, check it again. I like this new rule."

For the uninitiated, Jadeja's first ball hit the bat's outside edge and went for a four between the short-third fielder and the wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen.

"Ah, the skinny one gets the edge. The wider one that’d have hit the middle," said Clarke.

For the uninitiated, as per the rules, the bat's width is limited to 4.25 inches (10.8 cm), with a maximum depth of 2.64 inches (6.7 cm) and edges not exceeding 1.56 inches (4.0 cm). The handle also must not exceed 52 per cent of the bat’s total length.

Earlier, Kolkata Knight Riders' Sunil Narine and Anrich Nortje had also failed the bat gauge test in the ongoing 18th edition of the IPL.

SRH opt to bowl after winning the toss

SunRisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bowl first against MS Dhoni and co at the Chepauk.

Jadeja eventually returned to the hut after scoring 21 runs off 17 balls. Kamindu Mendis dismissed him as he rattled the left-hander's stumps.

The contest between SunRisers and Chennai Super Kings is a bottom-of-the-table affair as both teams are languishing in the lower half of the points table.

The team which loses will all but be knocked out from the playoffs race in the ongoing season.