Ashwin has been at the centre of the Mankading debate since IPL 2019.
In a series of tweets, Ashwin wrote, "Just hope that technology will see if a batsman is backing up before the bowler bowls a ball and disallow the runs of that ball every time the batter does so!! Thus, parity will be restored as far as the front line is concerned.”
Ashwin’s comment came after ICC introduced a new law, as per which front-foot no-balls will be monitored by the third umpire in the ODI Super League, starting July 30 with the three-match ODI series between England and Ireland.
The new rule will be implemented in the shortest format (T20Is) as well. The governing body has already experimented with the technology to monitor bowlers overstepping during the ODI series between India and West Indies last year.
Ashwin, who was at the centre of a big debate in IPL 2019 after Mankading Jos Buttler, took the discussion further and wrote: “Many of you will not be able to see the grave disparity here, so let me take some time out to clarify to the best of my abilities. If the non-striker backs up 2 feet and manages to come back for a 2, he will put the same batsmen on strike for the next ball.”
During the fourth match of IPL 2019, Ashwin paused before the delivery stride and took the bails off nonchalantly to Mankad Buttler. Replays showed that the Rajasthan Royals opener was out of his crease and he had to walk back to the pavilion.
After the incident, cricket fraternity divided into two with many slamming Ashwin for not upholding the spirit of the game while others supported the off-spinner for playing within the laws of the game.
“Putting the same batsmen on strike might cost me a 4 or a 6 from the next ball and eventually cost me 7 more runs instead of may be a 1 and a dot ball possibility at a different batsman. The same will mean massively for a batter wanting to get off a strike even in a test match,” Ashwin opined.
In the end, Ashwin, who has represented India in 71 Tests, 111 ODIs and 46 T20Is, urged the lawmakers to restore the balance between bat and ball.
“It is time to restore the balance in what is an increasingly tough environment for the bowlers.#thefrontcrease #belongs to #bothparties @bhogleharsha we can use the same tech that we are proposing for a no-ball check 120 balls in a T20 game.”