Fans got to witness an extra cautious David Warner as R Ashwin came to bowl the final over of the powerplay. (Screengrab)Rajasthan Royals’ batsman Jos Buttler paid the price for his lack of alertness against Kings XI Punjab skipper R Ashwin, but now all other batsmen in the tournament at the non-striker’s end are more cautious when the Indian off-spinner bowls. During the match Monday between KXIP and Sunrisers Hyderabad, fans saw an extra cautious David Warner as Ashwin came in to bowl the final over of the powerplay.
The incident took place in the second ball of the sixth over as Warner, who was standing at the non-striker’s end, kept his bat grounded well inside the crease and watched Ashwin closely as the Indian spinner came close to the wicket during his bowling action.
Taking note of the incident, the commentators also joked about it, saying, “You have a look at Warner though, its a deliberate way to tell Ashwin that I’m in the crease.”
After being asked to bat first, Warner scored 70 off 62 balls to help Surisers post 150/4 on the board in their respective 20 overs. In response, KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal smashed half-centuries each to help Punjab win the contest comfortably by six wickets.
During a match between Punjab and Rajasthan, Ashwin ran out a well set Buttler at the non-striker’s end, garnering mixed reactions from the cricketing community. While some backed Ashwin, saying that the bowler hadn’t violated any rule, many said it was against the spirit of the game.
In an interview with India Today, Ashwin justified the move saying that the dismissal was instinctive, and there was nothing to defend.
“It is in the rules if the batsman goes out of his crease then you can whip the bails off. Nobody told the batsman to stay in the crease, but it is his responsibility to stay inside the crease. And most importantly my conscience was clear. People who know me well, know that I will never do anything illegal,” he said.
