India and Delhi Capitals off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Monday revealed he has already spoken to head coach Ricky Ponting over phone, hinting at the Mankad discussion that has made headlines in the lead up to Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.
R Ashwin, who arrived in the UAE with the Capitals over the weekend, acknowledged that Ricky Ponting had said he was going to have a chat with him after he reached the UAE. Ashwin revealed he had an interesting chat with his head coach but did not reveal any details about the conversation.
Ashwin’s comments come after Ponting said he would advise Delhi Capitals players against Mankading in IPL 2020, which kickstarts in the UAE from September 19. Ponting brought up the ‘Spirit of Cricket’ argument and stressed no Delhi Capitals player will run a non-striker out via Mankading.
“Ricky Ponting hasn’t yet reached (Dubai). After he comes, we will sit for a chat with him. He said he wants to have a conversation. We have already spoken over the phone. It was a very interesting chat,” Ashwin said in his new ‘Hello Dubaiahh?’ YouTube show.
“What happens sometimes is Australians’ messages in English get lost in translation and reach us with a different meaning. Even some of their jokes become news. That’s what it is and next week I will reveal a bit more about my conversation with Ricky.”
Notably, Ashwin had Mankaded Jos Buttler during IPL 2019, dividing opinions in the cricket fraternity. While Mankading is within the rules of the game, Ashwin faced criticism last year for not playing within the spirit of cricket. Several former cricketers and experts also backed Ashwin, saying Mankading is well within the rules.
“I’ll be having a chat with him about (Mankad), that’s the first thing I’ll do,” Ponting had said on The Grade Cricketer Podcast.
“That’s going to be a conversation and that’s going to be a hard conversation I will have to have with him, but I’m pretty sure he’ll take it on the chin.
“I think, even him, looking back now, probably he’d say it was within the rules and he’s right to do it, but this is not within the spirit of the game, not in the way I want, at least with the Delhi Capitals anyway.”