R-Ashwin--mankading-sportstiger

Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL

Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), who are responsible for making laws of cricket, made a couple of big announcements on March 9, Wednesday which eventually resulted in Ravichandran Ashwin trending on Twitter. The big question is - What is the link between the two and what is the entire story all about?

Well, the reason behind the same is because of one of the new rules of MCC which states that ‘Mankading’ mode of dismissal will now be considered as run-out only and it no longer will be seen ‘against the spirit of game’.

Ashwin's act in 2019 sparked the debate around 'Mankad'

While there have been a few instances of the same in past, the most significant one came during IPL 2019 when Ravichandran Ashwin inflicted 'mankad' dismissal against Jos Buttler. The incident sparked a major debate in cricket fraternity with everyone having a difference of opinion.

"It was instinctive. It wasn't planned. I don't know where the spirit of the game things comes because if it's within the rules, it is. I don't understand the point of sporting spirit because it is within the rules," Ashwin had said at that time while reflecting on the dismissal.

Well, three years later, MCC has accepted that it should be a normal mode of dismissal and as expected, fans flooded Twitter while tagging Ravichandran Ashwin. While Virender Sehwag hilariously congratulated the off-spinner on this development, others claimed that the 35-year-old would be the happiest person in world right now.

Check out the reactions:

Well, Ashwin and Buttler are all set to play as teammates for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2022. But, it will be interesting to see if we see any cases of this mode of dismissal, from either Ashwin or any other bowler, this season.