'People say Jos Buttler did not try to run, but that's not my problem. People also say I did it to win. Of course, I did it to win.'
Key Points
- Ashwin defended running out Buttler, calling it fully legal and justified.
- He said criticism over “spirit of the game” did not affect him and even encouraged him.
- The off-spinner urged bowlers to use the rule more often without fear of backlash.
Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has defended his decision to run out Jos Buttler at the non-striker's end during an Indian Premier League game in 2019, saying he acted within the laws and would do it again if needed.
Ashwin stands by run-out decision
During the 2019 clash between the Kings XI Punjab and the Rajasthan Royals, Ashwin, then representing the Punjab side, ran out Buttler at the non-strikers' end as the batter tried to move out of his crease before the ball was bowled. His action created a storm and generated talks around the concept of fair play, spirit of the game, and was met with mixed reactions from social media.
While some fans cited that doing so is well within the cricketing laws, the others felt Ashwin should have warned Buttler about stepping out of his crease to preserve the 'spirit of the game'.
Ashwin said criticism of his action only strengthened his resolve. He dismissed claims that the act went against the "spirit of the game", insisting it is a legitimate form of dismissal under cricket laws.
"A lot of people talk about character, say this is wrong, or that the player is wrong. After hearing all that, I felt like doing it even more, not to prove a point to people. There was a moment when I was Captain against Mumbai, and we needed two runs. I was at extra cover and told the bowler to run him out at the non-striker's end. The batter ran, but the bowler refused because people say it is wrong. If the ICC felt this was an honesty problem, they would not keep it in the rules," Ashwin said on 'The Ravichandran Ashwin Experience' show on JioHotstar.
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'Played to win, nothing wrong'
Recalling the incident, Ashwin said Buttler leaving his crease early was not his responsibility. He maintained that his only aim was to win the match and there was nothing improper about using a legal method to do so.
"If you need two runs off one ball and you start running early, whose fault is it? People say Jos Buttler did not try to run, but that's not my problem. People also say I did it to win. Of course, I did it to win. What is there to be ashamed of? After I ran him out, I called the team and said, 'This will look different to them, they will lose, do not worry about the reaction, I will handle the media, we just have to win.' And we won. So, there is no issue of character in this."
Punjab won the match defending 185 runs, restricting RR to 170/9. Ashwin conceded 20 runs and picked a wicket in his four-over spell.
Calls for bowlers to use rule more often
Ashwin questioned why bowlers hesitate to attempt such run-outs, blaming social pressure and mixed messaging from umpires and fans. He argued the decision should rest with the bowler and umpire, not public opinion.
"This started with umpires asking captains if they want to withdraw the appeal. If you withdraw, you are seen as good, which is also wrong, because you let your bowler down in front of everyone. This decision should belong to the bowler and giving out or not is the umpire's job. Why make a rule so complex? Like LBW, this is also out. Many cricketers tweeted that this is bad."
"My answer is simple: I did not steal, I didn't do anything wrong, I played within the laws. Those who talk like this, I can file a case against them in court. What they are doing is character assassination. I am very proud of it, I will continue to be, and whoever does it, I will praise them even more," he added.
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