What if Kohli, Rohit, Smith, Root is Mankaded in crucial World Cup game? All hell will break loose, says Ashwin | Cricket News

Ravichandran Ashwin is one of the most vocal supporter of bowlers running out the non-striker at the bowling end with non-striker backing up too far. The off-spinner had once dismissed Jos Buttler in this manner in an Indian Premier League game and didn’t express any regret for his actions.
In the second ODI between Pakan and Afghanan, the Mankad debate was back. Needing 11 off the final over, Afghanan seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi ran out Shadab Khan at the non-striker’s end as the batter moved out of his crease before the bowler had bowled. However, Naseem Shah’s heroics made sure that Pakan won the game a wicket.
Following the match, there was tension among the players of both the side with Pakan skipper Babar Azam looking visibly upset and was seen having a long conversation with senior Afghanan cricketer Mohammad Nabi. Pakan left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi even refuted to shake hands with his Afghan counterparts.

This is a fair assessment of the situation 👏👏.
Imagine someone running out kohli, Rohit , Smith , Root or any crucial batter at the non strikers in the World Cup semi final or a crunch game which will decide qualification.
I am sure hell will break loose and there will be a… https://t.co/IvzoQt5eAB
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) August 27, 2023
Throwing the light on the incident Ashwin said the batters at the non-striker end must stay inside the crease and explained What will happen if Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Steve Smith and Joe Root will be “mankaded” in crucial World Cup game.
“Imagine someone running out Kohli, Rohit, Smith, Root or any crucial batter at the non strikers in the World Cup semi final or a crunch game which will decide qualification. I am sure hell will break loose and there will be a character assassination campaign some experts who still don’t agree with it and of course fans that are on the receiving end,” he wrote on X.
Ashwin suggested the batter must watch the bowler’s stride closely before taking off.
“There is only one solution, whoever be the batter and whatever be the magnitude of the situation, the batter needs to watch the bowler load the ball up and rotate his shoulder before taking off and if he doesn’t do that and gets out, we should applaud the bowler and tell the batsmen that he can do better,” he said.
Ravichandran Ashwin attempting the run-out of Jos Buttler at the non-striker’s end during IPL 2019. (Screengrab: Hotstar)
“He didn’t complete his action at all and he should look for it in the 5th 6th over arguments are lame, because once the bowler loads up and gets ready to deliver, he can’t run the batter out because it’s incorrect according to the law.”
With the recent amendments to the Laws of Cricket, the dismissal of the non-striker backing up too far has been included as run-out, with the onus on the batter to stay inside the crease till the ball leaves the bowler’s hand. Earlier, such instances were dealt with in the section on ‘Unfair Play.’
“At the moment not all teams are doing it but come the World Cup, I really hope everyone is ready for it cos taking a moral high stand and saying we won’t do it, should open a strategic window for the other teams and genuinely teams should take every single advantage coming their way cos winning a World Cup is a lifetime achievement,” he said.
There have been several current and former cricketers, who have flayed the mode of dismissal, and they themselves wouldn’t like to get an opposition batter in this fashion.
Ashwin stated: “Finally, is winning everything?
“Its everything for some and not for many others, we need to accept both, cos we are all different.Most Read
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“Stay inside the crease and live in peace.”
During the T20 World Cup in Australia last year, Ashwin has cheekily said that if the opposition is not looking to get him out this way, he might as well use it to his advantage.
“It’s good to know that they won’t do it because you can run at the last minute, and you can wait. It’s good. I mean, if people are going to come out and say that they won’t do it, as a cricketer, I’ll use that as an advantage for myself.”