IPL 2020: Ravichandran Ashwin jokingly issues the last warning before Mankading

Ravichandran Ashwin has had enough of batsmen staying out of their crease at the non-striker’s end!

Match 19 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) featured a clash of two of the strongest teams of the season as Delhi Capitals took on Royal Challengers Bangalore. Ashwin, who was sidelined due to a shoulder dislocation, made his much-anticipated comeback.

While bowling, he was encountered by a situation that seemed familiar. RCB’s Aaron Finch had walked way out of his crease before a ball was bowled. Ashwin, however, did not do the ‘Mankad’ and allowed him to return back to the crease. The whole incident had Delhi Capitals’ coach Ricky Ponting laughing out loud as well. Before the start of the season, he had a word with Ashwin to not use Mankad’ as a mode of dismissal.

Ashwin used the Mankad technique in last season to dismiss Rajasthan Royals’ Jos Buttler back to the pavilion. The incident had sparked a debate on whether the method is in the spirit of the game or not. It also led to some animosity between Ashwin and Buttler. Ashwin took to social media to make a lighthearted tweet about the same.

“Let’s make it clear !! First and final warning for 2020. I am making it official and don’t blame me later on. @RickyPonting #runout #nonstriker @AaronFinch5 and I are good buddies btw. #IPL2020,”

Ashwin’s ‘Mankading’ incident with Buttler

Ashwin used the Mankad technique in last season to dismiss Rajasthan Royals’ Jos Buttler back to the pavilion. The incident attracted mixed yet heated interactions across the cricketing community.

One of the greatest spinners of all time, Shane Warne, strongly condemned Ashwin and the act. He called the act ‘simply disgraceful’ and claimed that the off-spinner will be known for this ‘low act’.

However, others like the late and great Dean Jones supported Ashwin claiming that he was just following the rules of the sport.

What is ‘Mankading’?

‘Mankading’ is a term actually named after Indian cricketer Vinoo Mankad. Back in 1947, Mankad dismissed Australian batsman Bill Brown not once but twice by removing the bails when he was out of the crease at the non-striker’s end. Mankad faced criticism back then as well. However, he got support from the legend, none other than, Sir Don Bradman.

Bradman has written in his autobiography, “For the life of me, I can’t understand why [the press] questioned his sportsmanship. The laws of cricket make it quite clear that the non-striker must keep within his ground until the ball has been delivered. If not, why is the provision there which enables the bowler to run him out? By backing up too far or too early, the non-striker is very obviously gaining an unfair advantage.”

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