Ashwin recommends a free ball rule to restrict batsmen from leaving non-striker’s end early
Ravichandran Ashwin is indeed one of the finest spinners going around, as one can look at his staggering record to verify the fact. Apart from his bowling prowess, however, the veteran cricketer is also known for his strong opinions over the game. While he has been endorsing the run-out dismissal for a non-striker backing up too far amid the criticism, the 34-year-old has some other rules in mind which should be enforced to help bowlers.
Like free hit, Ashwin wants a free ball for the bowlers, which would reduce ten runs from the batting team total every time a batter leaves the non-strikers end early. While this is an altogether new recommendation, the talismanic spinner has once again managed to highlight that batsmen tend to leave the crease before the ball is delivered.
Ravichandran Ashwin wants a free ball rule for bowlers
Remember: “you are supposed to leave the crease only after the ball leaves the hand”
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) May 28, 2021
Ashwin’s suggestion came after former Indian batsman Sanjay Manjrekar wrote that the International Cricket Council (ICC) should scrap the free hit rule to make the game fair for bowlers. Reacting to Manjrekar’s statement, Ashwin opined that free hit should remain in the picture, but a free ball can be added to balance the game.
Meanwhile, Ashwin was last seen in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, which got suspended midway due to the COVID-19 virus. The Delhi Capitals cricketer pulled off the tournament even before the official postponement, citing personal reasons. He’s currently spending quarantine with his Indian teammates in a Mumbai hotel.
The Virat Kohli-led Indian Team will fly to England on June 2 for the ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand, which gets underway on June 18. Notably, the Indian squad will have to undergo a 10-day quarantine period upon their arrival. Hence, they won’t have much time to get in the groove ahead of the summit clash.
