Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin responded to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant’s decision to withdraw the mankad appeal against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Jitesh Sharma. Ashwin described the move as humiliating for the bowler and warned that it could affect his confidence.
Rishabh Pant had withdrawn the mankad appeal of Digvesh Rathi in the LSG vs RCB match.
The drama unfolded dramatically during the clash between LSG and RCB at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. While Pant and Sharma grabbed attention with their batting heroics, it was LSG spinner Digvesh Rathi who made headlines for his on-field antics.
As the match reached a nail-biting finish, Rathi showed quick thinking by attempting to mankad Jitesh Sharma, who was batting aggressively. The third umpire reviewed the incident, and Sharma was given out, visibly shocked by the decision.
However, showing sportsmanship, LSG captain Rishabh Pant withdrew the appeal. This act brought relief to Sharma, who embraced Pant warmly before going on to secure victory for RCB with an unbeaten 85-run innings.
Ravichandran Ashwin on Rishabh Pant’s Decision to Withdraw Appeal
Ravichandran Ashwin spoke out on Rishabh Pant’s choice to withdraw the appeal, calling it a humiliation for the bowler and saying it’s something he will never forget or repeat. He also expressed concern that this decision by the LSG captain would negatively impact Digvesh Rathi. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said:
“It’s a humiliation. When something like this happens, a bowler feels so small that he’ll never want to do it again. Some people might comment that he shouldn’t have done it, but why not? Digvesh Rathi isn’t my relative or my friend—I don’t even know him personally. But what I’m saying is that when you scar a bowler this deeply, it affects him.”
Ashwin emphasized that Digvesh Rathi was publicly insulted in front of millions, and that withdrawing the appeal under such circumstances carries no real meaning. He added:
“No one seems to care about the bowler. In front of crores of people, the appeal was withdrawn, allowing him to be insulted like this. Let’s be clear about cricket rules the ball went upstairs, Rishabh Pant, the umpire gave a ‘not out’ decision, so it stands. According to the Laws of the Game, there’s no provision for withdrawing an appeal in such a situation.”
It’s worth noting that Ashwin himself has been vocal about the ‘mankading’ dismissal. In fact, during one season, he dismissed Jos Buttler using the same method.
