India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took to Twitter and suggested that the authorities bring in a major rule change that stops a non-striker from leaving the crease before the bowler has released the ball. Ashwin’s reaction came a day after the ICC announced that TV umpires will call the front-foot no-balls in all the ODIs which are part of ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League.
The off-spinner even suggested a couple of ways to restore the parity between the bat and ball by disallowing the runs scored by the batsmen if he leaves his crease before the ball is bowled.
“Just hope that technology will see if a batsmen is backing up before the bowler bowls a ball and disallow the runs of that ball every time the batter does so!! Thus, parity will be restored as far as the front line is concerned. #noball #dontbackup,” tweeted Ashwin.
Just hope that technology will see if a batsmen is backing up before the bowler bowls a ball and disallow the runs of that ball every time the batter does so!!Thus, parity will be restored as far as the front line is concerned. #noball #dontbackup
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) July 28, 2020
Explaining the rationale behind his thinking, Ashwin wrote that current regulation does a grave injustice to the bowler in a game which hugely favors a batsman and it can cost a bowler some extra runs during a match which can eventually play a crucial part in determining the game’s outcome.
When a Twitter user presented a counter-argument to Ashwin’s suggestion, the off-spinner quickly made another way out, suggesting a free ball for the bowler on the very next ball every time the non-striker has backed up.
“Instead of Disallowing the run, maybe the bowler can get a free ball the very next one where the batsmen has backed up. Some fairness to start off maybe,” wrote the Delhi Capitals bowler.
This is actually something I don’t agree with. While I’m 100% onboard with running out a batsman if they step out of the non strikers crease, it is basically like stumping.
If a batter is outside the crease, run out. Same for a stumping. It’s a risk they’re willing to take
— Varun (@varun_vaithy) July 28, 2020
Ashwin was involved in a major controversy during IPL last year when he clipped the bails at the non-striker’s end after Rajasthan Royals’ Jos Buttler tried to steal some yards by backing up too much.
After a long coronavirus break, Ashwin will be back in action playing for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2020 which as per the IPL chairman Brijesh Patel will start on September 19, with the final scheduled for November 8 in the United Arab Emirates.
