Ravichandran Ashwin has been in the news for his controversial mode of dismissal known as ‘Mankading’. In a recent match against Australia, he had given a warning to Smith, and in the following innings, he gestured a thumbs-up towards Steve Smith after getting back into his crease, indicating that he had not actually run him out.
What is ‘Mankading’?
‘Mankading’ is a mode of dismissal where the bowler runs out the non-striker who leaves the crease before the ball is bowled. The dismissal is named after Vinoo Mankad, an Indian bowler who ran out Bill Brown in a Test match against Australia in 1947. Since then, the mode of dismissal has been debated over its ethicality and fairness in the cricketing world.
Last year, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) formally included ‘Mankading’ in the ‘Run out’ section of cricketing laws, but it still remains a topic of debate. While some believe that it is a legitimate mode of dismissal, others argue that it goes against the spirit of the game.
Ashwin has been quite vocal about his views on ‘Mankading’. He has said time and again that he won’t shy away from using this mode of dismissal to get rid of opponent batters. He believes that it is the batsman’s responsibility to stay in the crease and not try to gain an unfair advantage by leaving the crease before the ball is bowled.
Ashwin Warns Steve Smith Against Mankading During India vs Australia Test Match
During the recent India vs Australia Test Match, Ravichandran Ashwin, the ace Indian spinner, once again proved that he wouldn’t shy away from using mankading as a mode of dismissal. This time, it was against Steve Smith, the Australian batter, who was found backing up way too much on the non-striker’s end.
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In the 15th over of the Australian innings, as Ashwin began his run-up to bowl, he suddenly stopped himself just before releasing the ball, indicating that he might have run Smith out using mankading. However, Smith realized his mistake just in time and rushed back into his crease, avoiding being dismissed. This incident brought some light-hearted humor to the game, with both players smiling after the incident.
Watch Video :
https://twitter.com/Shiv_8895/status/1627248258258210817
Ashwin to Renshaw: over no. 23pic.twitter.com/eIdaydHT6y
— Rahul (@exceedingxpuns) February 19, 2023
#Ashwin again 😂 #ViratKohli #ViratKohli𓃵 Reaction🔥 #INDvAUS #KLRahul #KLRahul𓃵 pic.twitter.com/yBzROdlVXk
— Aarvy palette (@AarvyPalette) February 19, 2023
This wasn’t the first time Ashwin had warned a batter about mankading during the game. Earlier, he had also given a similar warning to Marnus Labuschagne. Ashwin has been vocal about using this mode of dismissal and has previously used it against England’s Jos Buttler in the Indian Premier League.
The spin duo of Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja proved their worth once again as they shared all ten wickets between them, dismissing the Australian side for a total of 113 runs on Day 3 of the test match. The Australian team kept losing wickets at regular intervals, and the Indian team emerged victorious.
The debate over the ethicality of ‘Mankading’ is a long-standing one. Some cricketers argue that it goes against the spirit of the game, while others believe that it is a legitimate mode of dismissal. Those who support ‘Mankading’ argue that it is the batsman’s responsibility to remain in the crease, and that running out the non-striker is a fair way of dismissing them if they try to gain an unfair advantage.
However, critics of ‘Mankading’ argue that it is not in the spirit of the game and that it goes against the notion of fair play. They argue that the bowler should warn the batsman before running them out, and that ‘Mankading’ should only be used as a last resort.
In the end, the debate over the ethicality of ‘Mankading’ is likely to continue for some time. While some cricketers believe that it is a legitimate mode of dismissal, others argue that it goes against the spirit of the game. In any case, it is up to the individual player to decide whether or not to use ‘Mankading’ as a mode of dismissal. As for Ashwin, he has made it clear that he will not hesitate to use ‘Mankading’ to get rid of opponent batters. Whether or not this will continue to remain a controversial topic remains to be seen.