Former India spinner R Ashwin has criticised LSG captain Rishabh Pant's withdrawal of a 'Mankad' appeal against RCB on Tuesday (May 27).
Was Digvesh Rathi's 'Mankad' attempt during LSG v RCB successful?
During the final group stage match of IPL 2025 at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, RCB were on track to chase 228, when, before the final ball of the 17th over, spinner Digvesh Rathi pulled out of his bowling action and broke the stumps at the non-striker's end (informally known as a 'Mankad').
Explained: Why the not out call for Digvesh Rathi's 'Mankad' attempt was incorrect
He appealed for a run-out, and the decision was referred to the third umpire, who ruled the non-striker, Jitesh Sharma, not out. Even if he had ruled Jitesh out though, it would not have changed the final outcome as LSG skipper Rishabh Pant communicated to the on-field umpire that his team would be withdrawing the appeal.
Ashwin: It is a humiliation for the bowler
Speaking on his YouTube channel on Wednesday, former India spinner R Ashwin condemned Pant's withdrawal of the appeal in no uncertain terms: “Rishabh Pant is a fantastic cricketer. What a fantastic innings he played, he made 118, fabulous, fabulous knock. And this will not be the first, this will not be the last. Rishabh Pant will go on to do some great things on a cricketing field. I am a big fan of Rishabh Pant.
“But just imagine Digvesh Rathi is your son, and his captain has criticised his decision in front of crores of people. It’s actually gone over the board. Because a captain’s job is actually to back a player.
“It is actually a humiliation. What happens is a bowler feels so small that he will never do it [again]. And people will come and say in the comments here that he should not do it. Why? Why should it not be done?
“Digvesh Rathi is not my relative, he is not my friend. I don’t know who he is. But I am saying, you scar a bowler so much by doing this, that it will really affect him. But because nobody really cares about a bowler, in front of crores of people the appeal will be withdrawn and he can be insulted like this.
“Let’s talk about cricket for a second. According to the Laws of the Game, it went upstairs, the umpire said not out, and it is not out. There is no scene of withdrawal [of the appeal] in this.”
As a bowler himself, Ashwin has been a vocal supporter of the 'Mankad' mode of dismissal, and has played a significant role in the relatively widespread acceptance of it not being an act against the 'Spirit of the Game'.
'Let's stop this vilification'
Ashwin was caught in a storm in 2019 when he attempted to 'Mankad' Jos Buttler in the IPL, and he also suggested a way to avoid disconnects between captains and bowlers going forward: “After the incident between me and Jos Buttler happened, I talked with Delhi Capitals captain Shreyas Iyer when I was Kings XI Punjab captain.
“He said, ‘We will not run anybody out at the non-striker end, will you also hold up your end of that bargain?’ I said no. Next year, I joined Delhi Capitals and [coach] Ricky Ponting said, ‘We would not like to run anybody out at the non-striker’s end, and we want you to follow it.’ I said okay, if this is your rule, I am in with you guys.
“Here, Digvesh Rathi did this. We don’t know if this was discussed internally beforehand. But let’s stop this vilification of that youngster in front of crores and crores of people. Do we do that to anybody else? Why does a bowler look small?”
Image credit: JioHotstar
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