Ashwin Mankad Reaction: In a heated reaction, senior Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin expressed disappointment over Rishabh Pant’s decision to withdraw an appeal involving a Mankad attempt by bowler Digvesh Rathi during a crucial IPL 2025 fixture between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
Ashwin Mankad Reaction in LSG vs RCB Match
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The incident took place in the 17th over of RCB’s run chase, when LSG’s Digvesh Rathi attempted to run out Jitesh Sharma at the non-striker’s end. The replay showed that Jitesh had stepped out of his crease, but the third umpire ruled the dismissal not out as Rathi had completed his delivery stride before dislodging the bails.
Ravi Ashwin said, "a captain's job is actually to back a player, not to make him feel small". (Ashwin YT). pic.twitter.com/zrsE2rQnCT
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 29, 2025
Rishabh Pant, captain of LSG, decided the game to revoke the appeal under the laws of cricket. What commentators and fans hailed as an act of ‘sportsmanship,’ Ashwin saw it differently.
Ashwin’s Firm Stand on Supporting the Mankad Rule
Ashwin, known for his open support of the Mankad dismissal, argued that withdrawing such appeals undermines the bowler and sends a damaging message to young cricketers.
“Digvesh Rathi is not my friend, not my relative. But what message are we sending? That a bowler must feel small for following the rules?” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
“If he is your son, and he gets publicly rejected like this by his captain, how would you feel?”
Ashwin emphasized that Pant’s decision was less about sportsmanship and more about public optics, possibly affecting the morale and future confidence of the bowler.
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Ashwin: A Captain Should Protect, Not Publicly Undermine
Ashwin strongly criticized the public praise Pant received for withdrawing the appeal, claiming that it humiliated the bowler on a national stage.
“It’s the captain’s job to protect his players. A bowler followed the rules, but the appeal was rejected by the umpire. Everything should’ve ended there,” said Ashwin.
“Instead, we heard commentators celebrate this withdrawal like it was some heroic act. That’s not leadership—that’s undermining your teammate.”
He went on to say that such incidents reinforce the negative perception surrounding Mankad dismissals, discouraging bowlers from using a legitimate strategy.
Technical Clarity: Was It Out or Not?
Ashwin clarified the technical side of the Mankad appeal:
Rathi landed the front foot down before breaking the stumps. At that time, Jitesh Sharma was within the crease. The third umpire’s decision of ‘not out’ was based on these observations.
Ashwin noted that the process was handled correctly until Pant intervened post-decision, choosing to withdraw the appeal, which, in Ashwin’s view, created unnecessary drama and public embarrassment.
Ashwin Mankad Reaction Final Word: “Stop Making Bowlers Feel Small”
In a passionate conclusion, Ashwin reiterated the need to normalize Mankad dismissals and called out the societal bias against bowlers in such scenarios.
“Why is it always the bowler who gets vilified? Why should he be afraid to do something completely legal?”
“This kind of humiliation makes sure that he’ll never attempt a Mankad again. And that’s not right.”
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