IPL 2020 / Ashwin warns Finch for leaving crease early & doesn't mankad him, IPL shares video

During the third over in RCB's innings, DC off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin stopped in his run-up and warned non-striker batsman Aaron Finch for leaving the crease early. However, Ashwin, who had mankaded RR's Jos Buttler in IPL 2019, did not mankad the 33-year-old Australian batsman. Earlier, DC head coach Ricky Ponting had said that he won't allow Ashwin to mankad batsmen.

Vikrant Shekhawat : Oct 06, 2020, 08:46 AM

Cricket Desk: Ahead of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Ravi Ashwin and Ricky Ponting were at loggerheads over running the non-striker out if the batsman leaves the crease before the ball is bowled. Being the head coach of the Delhi Capitals (DC), Ponting had said that he will have a hard conversation with the off-spinner on the matter.

Accordingly, the duo had a chat about it and it went peacefully as well. But Ashwin stuck to his point of the batsman not leaving his crease before the ball is delivered. However, during the conversation with his DC coach, he also suggested an alternative to penalise the opposition team with five runs if the offence is repeated often.

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Eventually, even the franchise cleared that all is well between the duo while also insisting that nothing was wrong at the first place. But on Monday, the moment finally came when Ravi Ashwin stopped in his action when the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batsman Aaron Finch left his crease. It was all in good spirits thanks to what had transpired earlier.

This time around though Ashwin just warned the batsman and also looked at the umpire with a smile on his face. Even Finch smiled while the action resumed. The replays clearly showed that Finch went too much ahead before the ball was delivered and the bowler was well within his rights to run him out according to the rules.

Even the commentators had some fun over it. The cameras also moved to Delhi team’s dugout where Ricky Ponting and he had a wry smile on his face.

Is it really against sportsmanship to run out the non-striker?

Running the non-striker out has been the topic of discussion or rather debate ever since Ravi Ashwin did it to Jos Buttler in the last IPL season. It had created a lot of controversy and despite criticism, the off-spinner had backed his actions saying that the batsman has no right to leave his crease and gain the advantage.

It is also in the rule book and running out the non-striker isn’t deemed illegal but many say it is against sportsmanship and the debate is going on forever.