Ravichandran Ashwin reveals incident when teammate refused to Mankad batsman

Mankading in cricket is not considered in the spirit of the game by many cricketers while a fair chunk thinks that it is within the rights for a bowler to run out a batsman if he constantly backs up too much. Ever since Ravichandran Ashwin ‘Mankaded’ Jos Buttler during an IPL game in 2019, the debate surrounding whether it is within the spirit if the game has sprung up. 

During a recent conversation with former Indian spinner Murali Kartik on a youtube show DRS with Ash, the off-spinner recalled how his Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) teammate Ankit Rajpoot refused to Mankad a batsman when the game was on the line. 

More than the dismissal, Rajpoot felt that his image would be tarnished. During the show, Ashwin again reiterated certain aspects why bowlers shouldn’t be criticised for running out a batsman in that manner. 

"The batsman are so used to meandering along. Someone asking them to stay inside the crease itself looks like a hindrance to them. This is so wrong asking a bowler not to run batsmen out at the non-striker’s end. Especially, when the game is so competitive, I firmly believe that a bowler shouldn’t be stopped,” Ashwin said. 

Further disclosing the details of the discussion he had with Ankit Rajpoot during a game against the Mumbai Indians, Ashwin said that Rajpoot was scared when he asked him to warn the batsman for not backing much. The last pair Rahul Chahar and Alzarri Joseph were at the crease with just 2 required of the final delivery. 

"After the incident happened against Rajasthan (Jos Buttler Mankading controversy), we played Mumbai in the next match. The last-wicket pair of Rahul Chahar and Alzarri Joseph were batting. One ball and two runs to win. I went to the bowler Ankit Rajpoot and told him, ‘these batsmen will be charging out to run. Just stop and send them back in if he (non-striker) starts running before you deliver’. He was scared and said, ‘No way, I won’t do that,” Ashwin said. 

Ashwin further revealed the nerves shown by Rajpoot during that particular game recalling the fact that how Rajpoot came up to him and said that he will be considered a villain if he tried out mankading the batsman, especially in that situation. 

"He (Rajpoot) froze when he came to deliver. He came and said to me, ‘If I do this, it will create controversy and I will be made the villain. I told him, ‘what you are doing here is correct. The non-striker is at fault here,” he said. 

Coming back to that particular match, Mumbai Indians managed to register a nerve-wracking victory chasing the target of 198 down in the final delivery of the match.