IPL 2022 | Ravichandran Ashwin reveals he tried to convince Ankit Rajpoot to Mankad

03/11/2022

Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed Jos Buttler by mankading him in the IPL 2019 as he was backing way too much and it spurred the debate around the spirit of cricket. Ashwin has now revealed that he tried to convince his teammate Ankit Rajpoot to ‘Mankad’ a Mumbai Indians batsman but he refused.

IPL 2022 is all set to be played from March 26. The season will feature 10 teams and all the teams are coming in the competition with a new squad composition. IPL has been in limelight for its on-field and off-field controversies. One such controversy was triggered when Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed Jos Buttler by mankading him.

The incident happened in IPL 2019 when Ashwin dismissed Buttler on non-striker’s end as he was backing too much to gain advantage. The batsman was seen frustrated and there was also debate around the spirit of cricket.

Ashwin has now revealed another incident when he tried to convince his teammate Ankit Rajpoot to ‘Mankad’ a Mumbai Indians batsman but Rajpoot refused to dismiss opposition player in such a way.

“After the incident happened against Rajasthan (Jos Buttler Mankading controversy), in the next match we were playing Mumbai. The last-wicket pair of Rahul Chahar and Alzarri Joseph were batting.”

“One ball and two runs to win. I went to the bowler Ankit Rajpoot and told him ‘These batsmen will be charging out to run. Just stop and send them back in if he (non-striker) starts running before you deliver.’ He was scared and said, ‘No way, I won’t do that.”

“He (Rajpoot) froze when he came to deliver, he came and said to me, ‘If I do this, it will create controversy and I will be made the villain’. I told him ‘ What you are doing here is correct. The Non-striker is at fault here’.

R Ashwin and Jose Buttler will play together for Rajasthan Royal this time around.