"Captain's Job Is To...": Ashwin Schools Pant Over Jitesh-Digvesh Incident

The Jitesh Sharma-Digvesh Rathi incident during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Lucknow Super Giants game on Tuesday once again gave rise to debates regaring a controversial mode of dismissal in cricket. LSG spinner Digvesh tried to run out RCB's Jitesh at the non-striker's end on the final ball of the 17th over of the innings. While TV umpire concluded it as not out based on the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) laws, the camera showed that LSG captain Rishabh Pant too intervened there and decided to withdraw the appeal. Speaking about the incident, former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has backed the young player.

"As an owner of LSG, I will be thinking that I need Jitesh Sharma's wicket. If he has stepped outside the crease, he is out. Now let me dive into the technicality of the incident. Is he justified in being out if he stepped outside the crease before Digvesh Rathi got into the delivery stride? Yes. Would it be bad for RCB? Yes, again, because they would not have liked Rathi or Pant if they did that. Now let's dive into the real-case scenario. When Rathi landed his front foot, Jitesh was inside the crease. So, this was not out. After breaking the stumps, umpire Michael Gough asked him whether he was appealing, and not whether he was sure. He said, 'Yes, I'm appealing.' So the decision went to the third umpire, and the right decision was made," said Ashwin on his YouTube channel 'Ash ki Baat'.

Ashwin felt that Pant should not have asked for the withdrawl of the appeal as it was within the rules of cricket.

"Until now, everything was right. But after that, commentators started saying that 'Pant has withdrawn the appeal - what an amazing act of sportsmanship.' Grow out of this," he said.

"I am a big fan of Pant. I'm clarifying it yet again before being targeted by people. But think, you are the father of Rathi, and his captain, in front of crores of people, criticised him. He actually went over the board because a captain's job is to back a bowler and not make him feel small.

"Stop this vilification of the youngster in front of crores of people. Do we do that to anybody else? Why does a bowler have to look small? It's actually a humiliation. And what will happen is that he will never do this again."

Notably, Ashwin had himself been a victim of the criticism for effecting such a dismissal back in IPL 2019. Playing for Kings XI Punjab, Ashwin had run out then Rajasthan Royals batter Jos Buttler at the non-striker's end during his bowling.

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