The 2019 Indian Premier League amusement between Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur revived the “Soul of Cricket” banter with Ravichandran Ashwin running out Jos Buttler for backing up too far at the non striker’s end.
While looking to ball the fifth ball of his last over, Ashwin stopped in his delivery stride, with the side-on view seeming to show Buttler was still inside the crease. The wicketkeeper-batsman took a few steps outside the crease, with Ashwin pivoting to whip the bails off at the bowler’s end. As Buttler strolled back to the crease, there was a warmed trade of words between the two players.
The offspinner, later on Monday (March 26) noticed that he intuitively mankaded the batsman.”Look, it was very instinctive. On my part, it was very instinctive. It was not planned or anything like that. It’s there within the rules of the game. I don’t understand where the spirit of the game comes, naturally if it’s there in the rules it’s there.
“I don’t understand the point of sporting or sportive in that point because it’s rules. What applies for one man does not apply for everyone else. Neither was Jos Buttler playing there nor was I played so it’s very pertinent to just not compare two people.”
Ashwin did not go against the rules to get the batsman out, mankading is one of the 10 methods to get a batsman out therefore it’s not clear why the ex-players are questioning the integrity of Ashwin. How can something be against the spirit of the game if it’s within the laws? The ICC changed the laws because the batsmen used to get an unfair advantage.
To be more clear consider this the law 41.16 (Non- striker leaving his/her ground early)
If the non-striker is out of his/her ground from the moment the ball comes into play to the instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball, the bowler is permitted to attempt to run him/her out. Whenever the attempt is successful or not, the ball shall not count as one in the over.
If the bowler fails in an attempt to run out the non-striker, the umpire shall call and signal Dead ball as soon as possible.
Now we should leave it to the readers and the fans to decide if it was the right thing to do?
