Ashwin's 'mankading' act sends cricketers into a frenzy on Twitter

Ashwin and team celebrate Buttler's wicket

Rajasthan Royals wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler's controversial dismissal after being 'mankaded' by Kings XI Punjab's skipper Ravichandran Ashwin has left Twitterverse stunned, with many expressing disappointment over Ashwin's action and calling it a "disgraceful act."

During Monday's match, Ashwin noticed that Buttler was advancing out of his crease before he was releasing the ball, so he decided to stop in his action and removed the bails before lodging the appeal. The decision was sent to the third umpire, who decided to rule Buttler out.

This decision by Ashwin to dismiss Buttler this way sparked outrage on social media and saw many current and former players express their angst.

"So disappointed in @ashwinravi99 as a Captain & as a person. All captains sign the #IPL wall & agree to play in the spirit of the game. RA had no intention of delivering the ball - so it should have been called a dead ball. Over to u BCCI - this a not a good look for the #IPL," Shane Warne wrote on Twitter.

"As Captain of your side - you set the standard of the way the team wants to play & what the team stands for! Why do such a disgraceful & low act like that tonight? You must live with yourself & FYI - it's too late to say sorry Mr Ashwin. You will be remembered for that low act," he added.

"I cannot believe what I am seeing!! @IPL Terrible example to set for young kids coming through. In time I think Ashwin will regret that," England captain Eoin Morgan wrote on his Twitter account.

"The Mankad is so so wrong. Terrible sportsmanship IMO #IPL #RRvKXIP," Ireland's cricketer Andy Balbirnie tweeted.

"I never had a problem with bowlers running non-strikers out if they stray out of the crease before the ball is bowled; the question, in this case, would be if Ashwin waited for Buttler to get out of the crease," Sambit Bal, editor-in-chief of Cricinfo tweeted.

"That's a shambles!!! Very poor from Ashwin!!! #mankad," Rob Keogh, Northamptonshire cricketer tweeted.

"My opinion on the Buttler/Ashwin controversy is that it's NOT Buttler's fault and it's NOT Ashwins fault either. Ashwin is entitled to appeal. I thought the TV umpire made an incorrect decision. Should have been a dead ball..... play on," Scott Styris, former Kiwi cricketer tweeted.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan said that Ashwin was completely out of order and he even went on to question whether people will support the bowler if Virat Kohli was dismissed the same way.

"If @josbuttler had been warned well that's fine ... if he hasn't and it's the first time I think @ashwinravi99 is completely out of order ... watch how often this happens from now on !!!!!!! #IPL," Vaughan tweeted.

"I would say to all India ex-players/Pundits who are supportive of what R Ashwin did ... If @imVkohli was Batting would you be so supportive !!??? #NightAll #IPL #OnON," he added.

However, cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle was seen advertising the law of the game and said Ashwin was within his rights to dismiss the batsman.

In a couple of tweets, he wrote, "Lots of drama on the Buttler run-out. He was livid but the law and the advisory on it is clear. The bowler is within his right to run a player out at the non-striker's end if he is out of his crease."

"I am hearing a lot of talk about the spirit of the game. This law specifically came in because taking recourse to this very "spirit of the game" batsmen were running 6 inches less to complete a run."

Buttler was smashing the Punjab bowlers all around the park while chasing a target of 185 runs, but after his dismissal, Rajasthan Royals slipped from 108/1 to 170/9, losing the match by fourteen runs.

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