Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir. Image-PTI.

Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir has sided with Ravichandran Ashwin regarding the recent controversy between the Delhi Capitals off-spinner and the Kolkata Knight Riders captain, Eoin Morgan.

Tempers flared up during the DC-KKR game on Tuesday in Sharjah. Eoin Morgan was miffed by R Ashwin and Rishabh Pant taking a single after a throw had deflected off Pant’s body. The KKR captain, and before him pacer Tim Southee, were involved in a heated exchange with R Ashwin.

IPL 2021: Watch - Heated Exchange Between Ravichandran Ashwin And Tim Southee During KKR vs DC
Heated Exchange Between Ravichandran Ashwin And Tim Southee, Eoin Morgan During KKR vs DC

Gautam Gambhir Comes In Support Of R Ashwin:

While some non-Indian former cricketers have thrown flak towards Ashwin for taking a run off a deflection, Gautam Gambhir has come out in “100 percent” support of his former India teammate.

The former KKR captain stated that Ashwin and Pant were completely within the rules while taking the extra run off the overthrow. He also slammed the ones who are criticising Ashwin in the name of “Spirit of Cricket”, saying that they are only looking to remain relevant on social media.

“I back Ravichandran Ashwin 100 percent. What he did was well within the rules. He has done nothing wrong. And there are so many people who are jumping into it, they have got nothing to do with it. Probably to increase some social media followers or to have some presence somewhere so that people can talk about it. It makes no sense. R Ashwin is absolutely correct,” Gautam Gambhir said on Star Sports.

You remember 2019 World Cup?: Irfan Pathan

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan expressed annoyance at the “Spirit of the game” being invoked again at this incident of a batsman taking a run after the ball had deflected off a batter’s body. He reminded people of England taking four extra runs during the 2019 World Cup final when the ball ricocheted off Ben Stokes’ bat and went to the boundary.

Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan. Image-Times Now

“People use the term spirit of the game for their own convenience. You remember 2019 World Cup? Let’s not get into it. If you have issues with the rule, change the rule. Even in that run-out issue, I would do it differently, but Ashwin was definitely well within the rules. Ashwin should back himself definitely and we all will back him,” Pathan said. 

On Thursday, in a series of tweets, R Ashwin himself clarified more about the situation. He said that he didn’t know the ball had deflected off Pant. However, he added, he had every right to take the extra run even if he knew that it had ricocheted off a batter’s body.

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