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'You just can't get in the way of the non-striker': Former cricketers react to R Ashwin's controversial follow through
IND vs NZ, 1st Test: Former international cricketers weighed in on the controversy, saying that while R Ashwin is a clever operator, he needs to be aware of certain aspects.
R Ashwin ran into a little bit of controversy on Day 3 of the Kanpur Test between India and New Zealand when the off-spinner's tactics of bowling from closer to the stumps saw him going across the umpire and in front of the non-striker. Ashwin and umpire Nitin Menon were involved in a long argument, with the official bringing it to the off-spinner's notice.
Even captain Ajinkya Rahane was summoned, and while Ashwin was very much within the laws of the game to do so, umpire Menon was not pleased because not only was he blocking his view but also obstructing the batter at the non-striker's end.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan and Simon Doull weighed in on the episode, saying that while Ashwin is a clever operator, he needs to be aware of certain aspects. Pathan credited Ashwin for being well-versed with the laws of the game and feels it was something the 25-year-old spinner must have practiced time and again to perfect it. Having said that, Pathan mentioned that trying out too many things can throw the bowler off-guard.
"He has the book 'laws of cricket' in his other hand. He is so precise. He knows that he will get away with it. He knows that 'I will get away with that. I'm within the law. I am not wrong. I’ll give a tough time to the umpire’. Look, he is just so precise, with that line. He must have practiced that I am telling you. He must have practiced and gone through the laws again and again. One thing is for sure, when you are coaching R Ashwin or when you are the umpire, your work will double. At Delhi Capitals, Ricky Ponting was working hard, and now it's Rahul Dravid's turn," Pathan said on Star Sports.
"But the question is why was he trying to do that. Are you disturbing the batter? I mean the batter has played the ball so why are you going to the other side? On Indian pitches, by doing so many different things, sometimes you actually disturb your own rhythm. It would affect your bowling in a slight way irrespective of how many different tricks you try."
Former New Zealand quick Simon Doull pointed out that Ashwin should be more careful about not getting in the way of the batter at the non-striker's end, which may have nothing written in the rule book about it, but isn't the correct approach.
"In this case, Ashwin is absolutely spot on. Now what we heard from the umpire and the match referee as well, is that it was all about running in front of Tom Latham. That seems to have been the problem. It wasn't the danger area. Nitin Menon must be saying 'I'm blocked. Maybe I won't be able to make a decision but you are now blocking and impeding the non-striker'," Doull said.
"And that's the problem. Ashwin didn't do it on purpose but that was the issue Nitin Menon had. What Ashwin was doing was slightly wrong for the non-striker. I like the idea, the concept of what he was doing, but he just can't get in the way of the non-striker and also can't ask him to stand wide."
