R Ashwin vs Eoin Morgan Controversy Explained.
The matches of the Vivo IPL 2021 are going to the nail bitter finishes as the tournament is progressing towards its playoffs. The nerves and tempers of the players are getting high as the clashes are getting more intense. One such incident happened on September 28 during the match between Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders.
The clash of the two teams witnessed the heated altercations amongst Tim Southee, Eoin Morgan and R Ashwin. It was 19th over which took all these aforementioned players against each other in a verbal spat.
In the final delivery of the 19th over, Ravichandran Ashwin and Rishabh Pant stole a second run after the ball from the fielder hit the Pant and went away from the fielders making it easy for the two batters to take a run. However, the act of the two batters stealing a second run didn’t go well with the fielding team as Eoin Morgan and Co seemed to be irked with that very incident.
In the first delivery of 20th over, Tim Southee sent back R Ashwin after he was caught at deep square leg by Nitish Rana. Southee initiated the word exchange as Ashwin was walking back and he was accompanied by his skipper Eoin Morgan.
The senior Indian spinner R Ashwin stood for himself and gave it back to the two opponent cricketers as the three had heated arguments where wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik became the peacekeeper.
As everything seemed to have calmed down, the English white-ball skipper, Eoin Morgan, nailed down and called the incident, “disgraceful,” and against the “Spirit of Cricket.”
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Ashwin also replied and explained the situation through a series of tweets, he said: “I turned to run the moment I saw the fielder throw and dint know the ball had hit Rishabh. Will I run if I see it!? Of course, I will and I am allowed to. Am I a disgrace like Morgan said I was? Of course NOT.”
“Did I fight? No, 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. In Morgan or Southee’s world of cricket, they can 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. What’s even more surprising is the fact that people are discussing this and also trying to talk about who is the good and bad person here,” Ashwin added in his tweet.
“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.”
“Do not confuse them by telling them that you will be termed a good person if you refuse the run or warn the non-striker, because all these people who are terming you good or bad have already made a living or they are doing what it takes to be successful elsewhere. 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. The above is the only ‘spirit of the game’ I understand.”
Former Cricketer’s take on the controversy:
Even after a day, the controversy refused to die down as a few cricket experts and former cricketers expressed their opinions.
Shane Warne has supported the English skipper and reckoned that Morgan has every right to nail Ashwin.
“The world shouldn’t be divided on this topic and Ashwin. It’s pretty simple – it’s disgraceful & should never happen. Why does Ashwin have to be that guy again? I think @Eoin16 had every right to nail him !!!!,” wrote Shane Warne in his tweet.
The Australian media went a step ahead after Shane Warne’s tweet. Fox Cricket, a TV channel from Australia, went with the headline which read: ‘Disgraceful’: Warne furious as India villain breaks spirit of cricket again in fiery clash.’
Virendra Sehwag has extended his support towards R Ashwin and recalled the moment when the ball hit Ben Stokes’s bat and went for a boundary during the final of the ICC ODI World Cup 2019 against New Zealand.
“On July 14th , 2019 when it ricocheted of Ben Stokes bat in the final over, Mr Morgan sat on a Dharna outside Lord’s and refused to hold the World cup trophy and New Zealand won. Haina ? Bade aaye, ‘doesn’t appreciate’ waale,” wrote Virendra Sehwag.
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