Indian spinner R Ashwin has revealed the mankad rule change, urging bowlers not to worry before dismissing the non-striker if he steps out of the crease before the ball is delivered.
R Ashwin applauds MCC’s decision to move Mankading out of the unfair play section for him to be phased out (courtesy BCCI)
HIGHLIGHTS
- Bowlers should have no qualms about taking out the non-forward: Ashwin
- R Ashwin applauds MCC’s decision to move mankading out of the unfair play section to be phased out
- “Mankading” has been the subject of lengthy “Spirit of Cricket” debates over the years
Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin welcomed the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) decision to move mankading out of the unfair play section to be phased out and urged bowlers not to worry before sacking the non-striker if he steps out of the crease beforehand The ball is delivered.
Specifically, MCC has voted to move the law relating to run-outs on the non-forward side from the Unfair Play section and the use of saliva to shine the ball in amendments to its 2022 Code, effective October will ban completely.
Notably, Ashwin Jos Buttler had mankaded during the 2019 IPL game between Punjab Kings (Kings XI Punjab) and Rajasthan Royals, leading to a huge debate over the controversial nature of the sacking.
“Non-forwarders leaving the crease early is the real unfair play in this whole scenario, not the bowler knocking them out,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
“It used to be called Mankad. But it has now been changed to phase out. They (MCC) destigmatized the whole concept and called it a phase out law. It used to be expected that the bowler would give a warning if the batsman leaves the crease at the end of the non-striker.
“Now they have announced that what the non-striker is doing is wrong and therefore bowlers can actually run them out if the non-striker tries to exit the crease before the ball is delivered by the bowler. Bowlers used to feel bad. We wondered how our team batsman would feel and what the cricket world would think if we did. When they thought about those consequences, they didn’t let her leak earlier,” Ashwin added.
Ashwin said he wanted to reiterate to bowlers that “that extra step the non-forward takes could end up destroying your entire career”.
“If the non-forward goes on strike because of that extra step, he could hit a six while the current forward might have folded. So if you take a wicket your career will advance, while if you get smashed for a six your career can suffer,” Ashwin said.
