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‘Am I a disgrace like Morgan said I was? Of course not’ – Ashwin hits back at Morgan, Southee with elaborate Twitter statement

by Wisden Staff 2 minute read

India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has responded to the ‘extra run’ controversy and the subsequent criticism surrounding it.

The controversy over the overthrow during the Delhi Capitals-Kolkata Knight Riders clash on Tuesday refuses to die down. It all began with a brief verbal confrontation between Delhi’s Ashwin and the experienced KKR pair of Eoin Morgan and Tim Southee. At the heart of the matter was a run taken off a ball, which had ricocheted off Rishabh Pant’s body.

Some former players, such as Shane Warne, had their say on the incident, calling the Ashwin’s actions “disgraceful.”

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Ashwin has now responded to the controversy in a sequence of tweets.

He began by describing his version of events, stating that he never saw the ball hitting Pant, before taking off for a run. However, he went on to elaborate, “Will I run if I see it!? Of course I will and I am allowed to.”

He also added that he wasn’t a “disgrace” like he claims Eoin Morgan had called him.

He continued: “I stood up for myself and that’s what my teachers and parents taught me to do and pls teach your children to stand up for themselves.”

He slammed Southee and Morgan, stating that they had the right to “choose and stick to what they believe is right or wrong but do not have the right to take a moral high ground and use words that are derogatory.”

He then explained his wider outlook on the matter. He said: “There are millions of cricketers with several thought processes that play this great game to make it their careers, teach them that an extra run taken due to a poor throw aimed to get you out can make your career and an extra yard stolen by the non striker can break your career”.

Ashwin then went on to give his definition of the spirit of the game: “Give your heart and soul on the field and play within the rules of the game and shake your hands once the game is over.”

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