Rare Test Cricket Dismissals That Even Umpires Double Check

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5 Most Uncommon Ways to Get Out in Test Cricket – From Timed Out to Hit the Ball Twice

In Test cricket, a batter can be out in 11 different ways. We all know the usual ones – bowled, caught, LBW, stumped, and run out. But there are a few more that are very rare. Some are so uncommon that they’ve never happened in a Test, while others happened once or twice and were even removed from the rules later.

Rarest Outs in Test Cricket Format That Are Hard to Believe

1. Timed Out – only once, and that too in an ODI

If a new batter doesn’t reach the crease within 3 minutes after a wicket falls, they can be given out as “timed out.” This has never happened in a Test match. But it did happen once in international cricket, during the 2023 World Cup when Angelo Mathews was out against Bangladesh. He was late because of a helmet issue, and the umpire gave him out.

2. Hit the Ball Twice – never happened in Tests

This rule is a bit tricky. A batter is allowed to hit the ball twice only if it’s to stop the ball from hitting the stumps. But if they hit it again on purpose for any other reason, they can be out. It has never happened in a Test, and only once in a T20I match between Romania and Malta. Even if the ball hits a batter’s body or pads twice and the second contact is intentional, it can count.

3. Obstructing the Field – only twice

This happens when a batter blocks the fielders on purpose or tries to stop a throw. Len Hutton was given out like this in 1951 against South Africa. The second case was Mushfiqur Rahim in 2023 against New Zealand. Earlier, this would have been called “handled the ball,” but now that method is part of this rule.

4. Retired Out – happened only in one Test, both times by one team

In a 2001 Test match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Marvan Atapattu (201) and Mahela Jayawardene (150) left the field on their own after scoring big runs. They were marked as “retired out.” This was seen as going against the spirit of the game. Since then, no one has done it again.

Another case was in 1983 when Gordon Greenidge from the West Indies left his innings on 154 to visit his seriously ill daughter. He was marked as “retired not out” because of the situation.

5. Handled the Ball – happened 7 times, but not allowed anymore

This rule was removed in 2017 and added under “obstructing the field.” But before that, 7 players were out this way in Tests, which includes players such as Russell Endean, Andrew Hilditch, Mohsin Khan, Desmond Haynes, Graham Gooch, Steve Waugh, and Michael Vaughan.

Russell Endean was involved in both rare outs – handled the ball and also in an obstructing the field case in 1951.

Final words

Test cricket is mostly slow and careful, but these rare dismissals bring unexpected moments. Not all outs are simple, and sometimes even umpires have to double-check the rules. These rare cases show that even in a traditional game like Test cricket, surprises are always possible.

ALSO READ: Who Scored The Most Runs In WTC Final Matches?

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