Ashwin Stands Up for Digvesh Rathi, Calls Out Pant for Withdrawing Mankad Appeal

Ravichandran Ashwin didn’t hold back. The veteran off-spinner came out swinging in defence of young bowler Digvesh Rathi, taking aim at Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant for withdrawing a perfectly legitimate ‘Mankad’ appeal during Tuesday night’s high-stakes IPL clash between LSG and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

The moment in question unfolded at the end of the 17th over during RCB’s daunting chase of 228. Rathi had already suffered a setback earlier in the over—a backfoot no-ball denied him Jitesh Sharma’s wicket, and the free-hit that followed was promptly launched for six. Tension was sky-high, RCB needed 29 off the final 19 deliveries, and Jitesh was in full flow. On the last ball of the over, Rathi noticed the batter wandering out early and whipped the bails off at the non-striker’s end. He appealed for a run-out. 

But instead of letting the third umpire make the final call, Rishabh Pant intervened. He walked up to the umpires and withdrew the appeal. The third umpire eventually ruled it “not out,” and Jitesh went on to play a match-winning knock of 85 off just 33 balls — a performance that locked RCB into a top-two finish. Ashwin, known for his outspoken stance on the ‘Mankad’ dismissal, didn’t mince words. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he slammed Pant’s decision, arguing that such withdrawals do lasting damage to young bowlers like Rathi. 

Ravi Ashwin - Digvesh Rathi appealed for runout(attempted mankad) & umpires asked him if you really want to appeal & decision went to third umpire & they said it was notout. And then Pant withdrawn the appeal(when it was already notout) pic.twitter.com/FmK9tvIAXC

— Faruk (@uf2151593) May 28, 2025

“It is actually a humiliation,” Ashwin said. “What happens is a bowler feels so small that he will never do it again. And people will come and say in the comments here that he should not do it. Why? Why should it not be done?” Ashwin made it clear that he had no personal connection to Rathi but still felt strongly about the message this kind of incident sends. “Digvesh Rathi is not my relative, he is not my friend. I don’t know who he is. But I am saying, you scar a bowler so much by doing this, that it will really affect him. But because nobody really cares about a bowler, in front of crores of people the appeal will be withdrawn and he can be insulted like this.” 

Ashwin, of course, knows the backlash that comes with this territory all too well. His 2019 run-out of Jos Buttler at the non-striker’s end sparked a massive controversy, with many branding it against the "Spirit of the Game". But Ashwin has always stood firm in calling it a fair dismissal and continues to push for its acceptance. He also shared an example from his own past to highlight the confusion bowlers often face in such situations. “After the incident between me and Jos Buttler happened, I talked with Delhi Capitals captain Shreyas Iyer when I was Kings XI Punjab captain. He said, ‘We will not run anybody out at the non-striker end, will you also hold up your end of that bargain?’ I said no.”  Ashwin added further, “When I joined Delhi Capitals the next year, (coach) Ricky Ponting said, ‘We would not like to run anybody out at the non-striker’s end, and we want you to follow it.’ I said okay, if this is your rule, I am in with you guys.” 

His main point: there needs to be clarity — and more importantly, respect for bowlers. “Here, Digvesh Rathi did this. We don’t know if this was discussed internally beforehand. But let’s stop this vilification of that youngster in front of crores and crores of people. Do we do that to anybody else? Why does a bowler look small?” Ashwin’s fiery defence of Rathi brings a wider issue back into focus — is it time we stop seeing the non-striker run-out as some sort of moral controversy and start treating it for what it is: a legitimate form of dismissal? 

Also Read: RCB Create History – Becomes First Team in IPL History to Win All Away Matches