IPL 2021: 'They had no right to have a go at Ashwin'- Simon Doull

Former New Zealand cricketer-turned commentator Simon Doull has reckoned that Ravichandran Ashwin was well within his rights to go for the extra run as he didn't know that the ball had hit Rishabh Pant's arm.

A major controversy broke out during the recent Delhi Capitals-Kolkata Knight Riders encounter when Ashwin and Pant ran a single after the throw hit the latter's arm.

Doull, who was calling the broadcast at the time, said on CricBuzz Live:

"I have seen the footage, I was calling the incident and I don't believe for one second that Ashwin knew that the ball had hit Rishabh Pant, not for one second. He is turning as the throw goes. The ball does not deviate in any other direction. So, Ashwin doesn't know, he calls for the extra run and he is well within his right to do that."

Following the incident, Morgan and Tim Southee gave Ashwin a fiery send-off which led to a heated altercation between him and the KKR skipper.

Post the match, the likes of Shane Warne dived into the matter, calling out Ashwin for the illusive "Spirit of Cricket" violation.

Ashwin on Thursday took to his official account to lambast all the "spirit of cricket" ambassadors, stating that he was well within his rights to claim the run.

He clarified that he didn't know at the time that the ball had hit Pant's arm but asserted he would have gone for the run even if he knew about the same as he was well within his rights to do so as per the laws of the game.

Ashwin wrote:

As per the laws of the game, a batsman is well within his right to go for the extra run if the throw ricochets off him or his partner's body.

'It's all on Rishabh Pant'- Simon Doull

However, Doull proceeded to put the blame firmly on Delhi skipper Pant.

According to the former pacer, Pant being the captain of the side should have gone to the umpire and opposition skipper and not claimed the extra run.

He said:

"It's all on Rishabh Pant. He is the skipper. He knew it's his hand. He should have gone to the umpire and (Eoin) Morgan and say 'listen, I want to take the run back. It's hit my glove and we have gone through with the run. I want to take it back'. This is all on Rishabh Pant, he is the captain, he knows what he should have done and he didn't do it at the time."

He further added that Ashwin has become an easy target for the 'spirit of cricket' merchants because of his position on running out a batsman at the non-striker end.

"This is nothing on Ashwin. Anyone who is doing it is barking on the wrong tree. He is an easy target because of the run out at the bowler's end situation. Ashwin has become an easy target for the 'Spirit of the Game'. They had no right to have a go at him," Doull added.

Ashwin has been in the firing line ever since he ran out Jos Buttler at the non-striker's end during the 2018 edition of the IPL.The off-spinner had the last laugh during the DC-KKR game as he dismissed Morgan for a 2-ball duck. However, KKR proceeded to win the game by three wickets.