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Team India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has suggested a rule change called ‘free ball’, which bowlers should get every time the batter leaves the non-striker’s end early. Elaborating further on the suggestion, Ashwin added that a wicket of that ball should reduce 10 runs from the bowler’s figures, which would also bring down the opponent’s total.
Ravichandran Ashwin made this suggestion in response to a tweet by Sanjay Manjrekar, asking for views about his article on rule changes in cricket he would like to see. Manjrekar mentioned in his piece on Hindustan Times that the ‘free hit’ is very unfair on bowlers and it is one thing he would like removed from the sport. The former Indian batsman wrote:
“Free hit is another thing I want gone, again terribly unfair on the bowlers. Today with the TV umpire monitoring no balls, a bowler has to be a centimetre over and immediately a string of punishments are meted out to him. The bowler has to bowl an extra ball for starters, the batter cannot be out to that no ball already bowled, and there is also a penalty of one run. To add to that, there is a free hit offered to the batsman next ball in which he cannot be out. The penalty is just not commensurate to the ‘wrongful’ act. It’s as if the rule was introduced by a sadist who hated bowlers.”
Responding to Manjrekar’s article, Ravichandran Ashwin tweeted:
“Come on @sanjaymanjrekar, free hit is a great marketing tool and has captured the imagination of all the fans. Let’s add a free ball for the bowlers every time a batter leaves the non strikers end early, a wicket of that ball will reduce 10 runs of the bowlers analysis and total.”
The off-spinner also pointed out in another tweet:
“Remember: “you are supposed to leave the crease only after the ball leaves the hand.”"
Former India wicketkeeper batsman Deep Dasgupta also agreed with Ravichandran Ashwin and chipped in with his own version of the free ball. He tweeted:
“Couldn't agree more. Alternately, a 'free- ball' would be a dot ball but if a wkt fall, that stands.”
Ravichandran Ashwin has constantly questioned non-strikers backing up too far
Ravichandran Ashwin has made no bones about the fact that he feels batsmen have been taking unfair advantage by backing up too far for years. He has also slammed those invoking the "spirit of the game" argument to defend such batsmen when they are Mankaded.
The 34-year-old recently revealed in a conversation with Murali Kartik that pacer Ankit Rajpoot refused to run out a non-striker who was backing up too far during an IPL 2019 encounter between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Mumbai Indians (MI). According to the off-spinner, Rajpoot did not 'Mankad' for fear of being termed a 'villain'.
Rajpoot was representing PBKS (then Kings XI Punjab) in IPL 2019 and Ravichandran Ashwin was captaining the franchise that season.
Ashwin lamented that bowlers are targeted for running out non-strikers despite the batsmen being at fault.
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