R Ashwin has slammed Rishabh Pant for deciding to withdraw the appeal from Digvesh Rathi for the run-out at the non-striker’s end during the LSG vs RCB game in Lucknow. The match was at a crucial point when Digvesh decided to whip off the bails at the non-striker’s end as Jitesh appeared to have stepped out of the crease. However, the third umpire revealed that the RCB stand-in skipper was safe as Digvesh had already completed his delivery stride before attempting the run-out, thus rendering the dismissal invalid under the laws of the game.
However, it was then shown that Pant had actually withdrawn the appeal as the commentators congratulated the LSG captain for his sportsmanship. However, Ashwin wasn’t too happy to see this call from the wicketkeeper. Speaking on Ash ki Baat, the veteran spinner said that it was Pant’s job to back Digvesh and not make him feel small.
Ashwin also said that the vilification of the bowler needs to end in such situations.
“Captain’s job is actually to back a player. A captain’s job is not to make a bowler feel small. By making this decision of pulling away an appeal, ye pehle karna chahiye tha (should have discussed earlier).”
“We don’t know if they discussed, but let’s stop this vilification of that youngster in front of crores and crores of people. Do we do that to anybody else? Why does a bowler look small? It is actually a humiliation,” said Ashwin.
Ashwin feels that in such a situation, Digvesh will never do that again and asked why he should don’t do that again. The veteran spinner said that it will really affect the LSG spinner and it was insulting to withdraw the appeal in front of the viewers.
“So what happens is a bowler feels so small that he will never do that again. People will say that he should never do that (run out at the non-striker’s end) again. Why should he not do that? It is actually not about the rule. The batsman taking an extra step gives him an opportunity to finish a two.”
“Digvesh Rathi is not my relative, not my friend. I don’t know who he is. But I am saying ki ek bowler ko itna scar kar doge aap aisa karne mein (you will scar the bowler so much) that it will really affect him. But because nobody really cares about a bowler. So you can insult him by withdrawing his appeal in front of crores of people,” said Ashwin.
