Watch | Fans divided as Punam Raut sparks 'spirit of the game' debate

India batter Punam Raut gathered mixed reactions from the cricketing world after she walked off despite the umpire signalling not out during the Day-night Test against Australia in Queenstown. 

During the second day of the pink-ball Test between the two sides, Raut went for a push against a length delivery from Sophie Molineux and seemed to have edged the ball. Wicket-keeper Healy took a clean catch and the home side went for a loud appeal for a caught behind but the umpire turned it down. The batter showed some spirit and opted to walked off the pitch as the flummoxed Australians fielders watched from the 22 yards.

The matter that had already become a topic of debate spiralled out of control as a mic'd up Australian cricketer Beth Mooney, fielding in the circle, said that she would never have done the same if given not out. 

It needs to be pointed out that Punam Raut has recently lost her position in the ODI team after constant criticism on her batting and is playing her first game of the tour. This one-off Test match is going to be her only chance to assure the selectors of her talent given she is not a part of the T20 squad. 

The decision to walk off divided Twitter who swung between the opinions that, Punam should let the umpire do her job or she was right to walk off if she felt that she was out. 

The visitors have been pretty dominant in the match after they put 276/5 before the game was halted due to bad weather in the second session on the second day. Opener Smriti Mandhana was the pick of the batters after she notched up a ton and became the first Indian batter to score a ton in women’s Tests in Australia. 

The Mithali Raj-led side began the proceedings on the second day of the match with the overnight score of 132/1. India were 217/3 when captain Mithali was joined by debutant Yastika Bhatia in the middle and the two players stitched a stand of 44 runs for the fourth wicket before Bhatia was sent back in the hut for 19. 

Mithali too followed her soon after she was run out for 30 by Sutherland. India had Deepti Sharma unbeaten at 12 while Taniya Bhatia at 0* when the match was stopped.