Ashwin Reflects on Controversial Mankading Incident and IPL Stint
Quick Look
- Ravichandran Ashwin discusses the 2019 IPL 'Mankading' incident with Jos Buttler, defending his actions as within the rules and aimed at winning.
- He also reflects on his IPL career, particularly his time with Rajasthan Royals.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The 'Mankading' dismissal in cricket involves a bowler running out the non-striker if they leave their crease before the ball is delivered. It is a legal dismissal but often debated regarding the 'spirit of cricket'.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Jos Buttler (Image credit: BCCI/IPL)
NEW DELHI: It has been seven years since the controversial ‘Mankading’ run-out incident involving Ravichandran Ashwin and Jos Buttler during an IPL 2019 match between Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals. Ashwin, then playing for Punjab, ran Buttler out at the non-striker’s end, sparking heated exchanges between the players and reigniting the spirit-of-cricket debate. Buttler was given out and left the field visibly upset.
Seven years on, the incident has once again come up for discussion, with Ashwin maintaining that he did nothing wrong. “If the ICC felt this was an honesty problem, they wouldn’t keep it in the rules. If you need two runs off one ball and you start running early, whose fault is it?," Ashwin said on JioStar’s The Ravichandran Ashwin Experience. “People say I did it to win. Of course, I did it to win. What is there to be ashamed of? “After I ran him out, I told the team... ‘don’t worry about the reaction, I will handle the media, we just have to win.’ And we won. So, there is no issue of character in this,” he said.
ASHWIN'S ONLY REGRET
With 187 wickets from 221 matches in an IPL career spanning 2009 to 2025 across five franchises, Ashwin admitted he could not quite make Punjab Kings his own despite leading them in 2018–19, but described his stint with Rajasthan Royals as the most fulfilling.
“When Punjab picked me in 2018, I knew I was moving on… I spent two years there and honestly gave it everything. “But I have a slight feeling that I couldn’t make that team my own. At an auction, you get the chance to build your team… the team couldn’t quite be built around me. I may not have achieved much as a Captain, but the learnings were immense.”
On his time with Rajasthan Royals, he added: “I spent three years there, and that stint helped me make a comeback to the Indian team. The way RR utilised me was first-class, and I enjoyed my cricket there like nowhere else. “My only small regret is that I couldn’t win a title with RR… That was one small regret,” he said.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The 'Mankading' rule will continue to be a point of discussion and occasional controversy in cricket.
Very likely · Within years
Ashwin may continue to be a vocal proponent of the legality and strategic use of the 'Mankading' dismissal.
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What was the specific media reaction Ashwin handled after the incident?
- What were the exact learnings Ashwin gained as captain of Punjab Kings?
- What specific contributions did Ashwin make to Rajasthan Royals' performance during his tenure?