IPL 2020: This gesture from Ravichandran Ashwin brought smiles on Ricky Ponting in DC dugout

Ricky Ponting smiling after seeing Ravi Ashwin’s nice gesture. Courtesy: Hotstar

XtraTime Web Desk: After Delhi Capitals first match in IPL 2020, their head coach Ricky Ponting revealed that he had told the team’s star off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin not to mankad anyone during the tournament. It looks like, Ashwin is listening to his coach as he decided not to do Mankading against Royal Challengers Bangalore opener Aaron Finch on Monday despite of getting a chance. And seeing this nice gesture from Ashwin, DC Head Coach Ricky Ponting looked very happy at the dugout.

This mode of dismissal is within the laws of ICC, but is widely considered against the spirit of cricket. It became a talking point of the cricket fraternity just before the IPL 2020 thanks to Ricky Ponting’s comments. The Australian legend had said that he will be having a conversation with Ravichandran Ashwin about the dismissal.

The off-spinner had faced the heat in last IPL after Mankading Jos Buttler and Ponting made it clear that he did not want the spinner to do the same while playing for Delhi Capitals.

“I’ll be having a chat with him about (mankad), that’s the first thing I’ll do,” Ponting had said on The Grade Cricketer Podcast.

“That’s going to be a conversation and that’s going to be a hard conversation I will have to have with him, but I’m pretty sure he’ll take it on the chin. I think, even him, looking back now, probably he’d say it was within the rules and he’s right to do it, but this is not within the spirit of the game, not in the way I want, at least with the Delhi Capitals anyway,” he had added.

On Monday, Ravichandran Ashwin had the chance to Mankad another batsman but he decided against it as he left Aaron Finch with a warning. The incident took place before the fourth delivery of the third over of RCB’s innings. Just before bowling the delivery, Ravichandran Ashwin pulled out of his run-up as he saw Finch well out of the crease.

The spinner had the chance to take the bails off but he decided against it and returned to his bowling mark after warning Finch.