NEWS
Follow UsDelhi Capitals (DC) went to the top of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 table to assure themselves of a place in the top two. It was a scratchy performance from the DC batters, who chased down 137 runs with three wickets and two balls to spare against Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
While Ravichandran Ashwin finished with 1 for 20 from his four overs against CSK, the controversy involving him and Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) Tim Southee and Eoin Morgan is still fresh in everyone's mind.
Speaking of the issue, the all-rounder clarifies that it's not a personal battle, but people who seek attention might be thinking that way. "Look, I think it is definitely not a personal battle or one-on-one battle. Personally, I would not deem it like that," Ashwin said during a virtual post-match press conference.
"People who want attention may be taking it that way, but I am not looking it that way at all. The incident that happened the other day was, I got really charged up because that was entirely untoward by both Tim Southee and Eoin Morgan to give the batter a sendoff who just got out," he added.
Ashwin was accused of sneaking in a run after the ball had ricocheted off Rishabh Pant at the non-striker's end, which is something he denies having any knowledge of.
"The worst situation was that I was not aware that the ball had hit Rishabh so I just felt like that they already decided to have a go at me. That is one of the reasons I said that the words which were used were not in the right direction and not in the right space," Ashwin said, standing his ground.
"Beyond that, we need to understand that culturally people are different, the way people are brought up to play cricket in England and India, the way one thinks is completely different," he added.
However, Ashwin reckons there was nothing wrong with the on-field spat as the sport is played differently today as it was a few decades ago.
"I would not say anyone is wrong here, it is just that the sort of way the game was played in the 1940s cannot be the way that you want somebody else to apply it. My two cents to this are that you want to play the game in the way you want to, but do not expect that if it is not within the laws of the game and have a go at them for unnecessary reasons," Ashwin, who has picked up five wickets from 10 matches this season said.
Speaking of West Indies batsman Shimron Hetmyer's contribution, Ashwin said, "I think more than about 6-8 points needs to go to Hety (Hetmyer) because he has finished games, sometimes when you make those 25s and 30s, you don't quite get the recognition you must, because people are at the top are making the volume of runs," Ashwin said.
According to Ashwin he has been batting well, ever since he came to the UAE from England. "...I have been batting well and there was a lot of confidence from what happened in the last game, I was a little late, I was probably not ready for the ball and little late on the ball and didn't expect sort of a delivery from him and could have done better, yeah I will learn and move on from it, the star Tamil Nadu player added.
DC, who finished runners-up in IPL 2020, have just one match left in the group stages, that against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Friday (OCtober 8). In their 13 matches so far in IPL 2021, they have picked up 20 points.
(With inputs from PTI)
