AB de Villiers was surprised that India received a five-run penalty during the third Test against England in Rajkot. The penalty was a consequence of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin stepping on the danger area of the pitch, leading to the on-field umpire penalizing the hosts.
De Villiers described the challenge for batters, noting that it can be tough not to focus solely on running in a straight line when presented with a chance for a quick single. In a video on his YouTube channel, AB de Villiers shared the following thoughts:
“Ashwin running on the pitch was very interesting to me. I haven’t seen something like that reflected on the scoreboard. Five runs scored and no balls bowled (laughs).”
“It was the first for me, very interesting. As a batter sometimes you know it’s a tight run and you wouldn’t want to run sideways and then in a straight line as it would lead to a run-out. So this is really tricky.”
Ashwin engaged in a lively conversation with the umpire following the penalty. Despite having to leave the game due to a family medical emergency, he returned on Day 4, contributing to India’s historic Test win with the largest margin ever in terms of runs (434).
AB de Villiers conveyed a special message to Ravichandran Ashwin
AB de Villiers praised Ravichandran Ashwin for achieving the milestone of surpassing 500 wickets, becoming the ninth bowler in Test history. De Villiers had a special message for the seasoned off-spinner:
“Ash, if you ever listen to this, congratulations. You’re one of the toughest bowlers I have played against, an incredible asset to the Indian team with both bat and ball.”
“I had also tweeted that Jaddu and Ashwin are two such all-rounders together that you don’t get in a team. He is a stalwart and doesn’t always get enough credit for the player that he is and the role that he plays in the Indian team.”
Jasprit Bumrah has been given a rest for the upcoming fourth Test in Ranchi starting on Friday, February 23. This likely elevates the importance of Ashwin’s role for India as they aim to secure the series.
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