Ex-Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie backed Delhi Capitals (DC) spinner R Ashwin and said he was right to play the game within the rules against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He responded to his ex-Australia teammate Shane Warne who said the act by Ashwin on the field was disgraceful.
Ashwin had tried to steal an extra run after KKR fielder Rahul Tripathi's throw ricocheted off the DC captain Rishabh Pant's body. Kolkata skipper Eoin Morgan felt that it wasn't in "Spirit of the Game" and had a heated exchange with the DC batter after he got out.
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“The world shouldn’t be divided on this topic and Ashwin,” he tweeted. “It’s pretty simple - it’s disgraceful and should never happen. Why does Ashwin have to be that guy again? I think (Eoin Morgan) had every right to nail him," Warner had tweeted.
Gillespie made a point quoting Warne's tweet which was later deleted. He replied, "The world shouldn't be divided on this topic and Ashwin. It's pretty simple - it's disgraceful & should never happen. Why do we blame the player that plays within the laws of the game?
"I believe players have every right to play within the laws of the game as set out by the MCC."
In another tweet, Gillespie replied to Aakash Chopra as well and agreed with his words in support of Ashwin which said, "Whatever is within the laws of the game is within the spirit of the game."