Ravichandran Ashwin lashes out at Alastair Cook for accusations of deliberately running on Rajkot pitch
Published - 17 Feb 2024, 12:52 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:26 AM
Veteran Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin shouldered the responsibility for England being awarded five penalty runs during the third Test between the two teams. Ravichandran Ashwin admitted to his failure to exit the pitch’s protected area in time while batting.
Ashwin faced scrutiny for running the protected pitch area during the ongoing match at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot. The incident resulted in India being penalized five runs, and the visitors started their first innings at 5/0 on the second day.
On Day 2, Ashwin was accused by umpire Joel Wilson of running into the danger area. Following a conversation with Ashwin, Wilson enforced a five-run penalty. Notably, the on-field umpire issued a warning for a similar incident to India involving Ravindra Jadeja on Day 1.
My Poor Motor Skills Didn’t Allow Me – Ravichandran Ashwin
During the post-match press conference, Ravichandran Ashwin acknowledged his error, attributing it to his “poor motor skills”. The right-handed batter emphasized the necessity of adhering to regulations to uphold the game’s integrity. Notably, legendary England batter Alastair Cook had claimed that Ashwin deliberately ran on the protected area of the pitch to gain an advantage while bowling in the second innings. Ashwin hit back at the England great for his comments.
“They clearly warned some of our batters (on Thursday) for running on the pitch. I was aware of it, but my poor motor skills didn’t allow me to get off the pitch in time. If the English media and players think it was on purpose, it wasn’t.
“If that’s how they want to treat it, so be it. I went to (on-field umpires) Joel (Wilson) and Kumar (Dharmasena) and said ‘that’s pure poor motor skills. If I was any better, I would have been in the Olympics. Why play cricket,” Ashwin said in the post-day press conference.
Here’s what the ICC rule book states –
According to MCC’s law 41.14.1, “It is unfair to cause deliberate or avoidable damage to the pitch. If the striker enters the protected area in playing or playing at the ball, he/she must move from it immediately thereafter. A batter will be deemed to be causing avoidable damage if either umpire considers that his/her presence on the pitch is without reasonable cause.”
Ravichandran Ashwin Completes 500 Test Wickets On Day 2
After a poor start at 33/3, skipper Rohit Sharma and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja smashed remarkable centuries to rescue the Indian team. Rohit scored 131 runs off 196 deliveries, while Jadeja contributed a crucial 112 runs in the middle order in the first innings.
The England bowlers bounced back on the second day, limiting India to 331/7. Ravichandran Ashwin and Dhruv Jurel added a crucial 77-run partnership for the eighth wicket. Jasprit Bumrah played a 26-run knock to propel India to a formidable total of 445 in their first innings.
The visitors showcased a strong performance, reaching 207/2 in just 35 overs at the stumps on Day 2. Opener Ben Duckett smashed a century off 88 deliveries. Ashwin achieved a significant milestone by securing his 500th Test wicket with the dismissal of Zak Crawley.
The Indian bowlers picked up three wickets in the first session on the third day of the match. Jasprit Bumrah dismissed former England skipper Joe Root. Kuldeep Yadav also made crucial breakthroughs, including that of Ben Duckett, who scored 153 runs off 151 deliveries.
