Ravichandran Ashwin Slams Rishabh Pant: Ravichandran Ashwin has slammed Rishabh Pant for his decision to withdraw the appeal for run-out by Digvesh Rathi at the non-striker end during the match between LSG and RCB in Lucknow. Let us tell you that when Digvesh decided to drop the bails at the non-striker end, the match was at a very exciting turn at that time. It seemed that Jitesh had left the crease.
However, the third umpire revealed that the RCB stand-in captain was safe as Digvesh had completed his delivery stride before attempting the run-out, thus making the dismissal invalid under the rules of the game. Commentators had applauded Pant’s decision to withdraw the appeal. But Ashwin was not very happy with the decision of the LSG captain. Speaking on his YouTube channel show Ash Ki Baat, he said that it was Pant’s job to support Digvesh and not make him feel small. Ashwin also said that the bowler should be stopped from being defamed in such situations.
The captain’s job is to support the players – Rishabh Pant
Jitesh Sharma was ruled not out primarily because Digvesh Rathi's run-out attempt was invalid under IPL rule 38.3.1, as Rathi completed his delivery stride before dislodging the bails. Rishabh Pant's withdrawal of the appeal, allowed under MCC Law 31.2
— Rahul Khandelwal 🇮🇳 (@RahulKh00912351) May 28, 2025
Ashwin continued his point and said, ‘The captain’s job is actually to support the player. The captain’s job is not to make the bowler feel small. By taking this decision to withdraw the appeal, this should have been done earlier. We don’t know if they discussed it or not, but stop defaming that young player in front of crores of people. Do we do this to anyone else? Why does a bowler look small? This is really insulting.’
According to Ashwin, such decisions scare the bowler and he never does it like this in the future. Digvesh Rathi is not my relative, not my friend. I don’t know who he is. But I am saying that if you put so much pressure on a bowler, it will really affect him. But because no one really cares about the bowler. So you are insulting him by withdrawing his appeal in front of crores of people.