Xtra Time Web Desk : Team India off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is believed to have the sharpest cricketing minds among modern day cricketers. Ashwin’s on field acts and presence of mind has time and again proved that he has one of the sharpest brains. Time and again, we have seen him contributing tactically and shrewdly. Be it the Indian cricket team, the IPL franchises he’s been with, or his state team Tamil Nadu, Ravi Ashwin has always stepped forward by doing something out of the box, and often it has turned out fruitful. We take a look at these three incidents which has really led the cricket fraternity sit straight and take notice.
Mankading Jos Buttler out during IPL match: During the IPL 2019 match between Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals, Ashwin mankaded Jos Buttler for backing too far. The incident polarised the cricket fraternity and caused a huge social media uproar. Rajasthan Royals, who were cruising at 108 for 1 failed to chase the target of 185 runs, eventually losing the game by 14 runs. Many cricket fans accused R Ashwin of unfairly running out Jos Buttler, but Ashwin, the then Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) captain, remained firm as it was within the rules of the game. MCC too has decided recently to tweak the rules, declaring mankading as fair and terming the dismissal as run out.
Removed pads in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final vs Karnataka: Ashwin’s innovative tactics was once again applauded. He was batting for his state team, Tamil Nadu in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019 final against Karnataka in Surat. Ravi Ashwin exhibited a unique way of running between the wickets during the crucial final over. Before the final delivery of the match when Tamil Nadu needed 3 runs to seal the final, Ashwin who was at the non-striker’s end decided to remove his pads in an attempt to increase the acceleration while running between the wickets.
Retired out in IPL 2022 vs Lucknow Super Giants: In the ongoing edition of the IPL, Ravi Ashwin’s decision to technically retire himself out once again highlights his sharp thinking about the game. Ashwin opted for retiring out when he was batting on 28 from 23 balls in the 19th over against Lucknow Super Giants, to let Riyan Parag accelerate the scoring with Shimron Hetmyer.
It is fair to say that Ravi Ashwin is not only a successful off spinner but also an innovative tactician and a true entertainer of the game.