The debate around the ‘spirit of cricket‘ has once again surrounded the Indian Premier League and its none other than Ravichandran Ashwin, who has once again found himself in the spotlight. After the infamous marketing controversy also involving Rajasthan Royals’ Jos Buttler in the 2019 season, Ravi Ashwin has triggered another debate in the 2021 season.
On Tuesday, during a match between Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders, Ravi Ashwin and Eoin Morgan were involved in a heated exchange after the spinner was dismissed by Tim Southee in the last over of the DC innings at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Ashwin and Rishabh Pant tried to sneak in the second run off the last ball of the 19th over, off an overthrow by Rahul Tripathi.
The same seemed to have irked the KKR outfit as many believe it to be against the guidelines of Fair Play to take a run when the ball thrown by the fielder ricochets off the batter. While both Tim Southee and Eoin Morgan expressed their disappointment over Ashwin’s decision to take an additional run, Ashwin feels that he did nothing that wasn’t within the rules of the game.
Ever since then the debate on ‘spirit of cricket’ has been going on among the cricket fraternity. There are many who have called it ‘disgraceful’ from the Indian senior cricketer’s part.
The latest one to join the bandwagon is former Indian cricketer and World Cup hero Gautam Gambhir, who has given his 00% backing to the veteran off-spinner. Speaking on Star Sports, Gambhir had said:
“I back Ravichandran Ashwin 100 percent. What he did was well within the rules. He has done nothing wrong. And there are so many people who are jumping into it, they have got nothing to do with it. Probably to increase some social media followers or to have some presence somewhere so that people can talk about it. It makes no sense. R Ashwin is absolutely correct,”
Earlier, Ashwin also broke his silence on the matter. He took to his Twitter and posted a long thread explaining what exactly happened on the field. He wrote:
“1. I turned to run the moment I saw the fielder throw and dint know the ball had hit Rishabh,” Ashwin tweeted. “2. Will I run if I see it!? Of course I will and I am allowed to. 3. Am I a disgrace like Morgan said I was? Of course NOT.”
“4. Did I fight? No, I stood up for myself and that’s what my teachers and parents taught me to do and pls teach your children to stand up for themselves. In Morgan or Southee’s world of cricket they can choose and stick to what they believe is right or wrong but do not have the right to take a moral high ground and use words that are derogatory,”
Here, check out the Tweet:
4. Did I fight?
No, I stood up for myself and that’s what my teachers and parents taught me to do and pls teach your children to stand up for themselves.
In Morgan or Southee’s world of cricket they can choose and stick to what they believe is right or wrong but do not have the— Ashwin ?? (@ashwinravi99) September 30, 2021
