IPL 2019: The bowler's side of the story in the Ashwin Mankading incident
A gentleman’s game, thy name is cricket.
The sport of cricket is played with all the seriousness and manly etiquette that humans can muster, or at least it is supposed to be played that way. But every action has an opposite reaction and sometimes demons - at least that’s what the media calls them - are born out of normal beings whe-n they go overboard and challenge the set norms.
Ravichandran Ashwin is currently undergoing such flak as he ran out the over-enthusiastic Jos Buttler in the RR vs KXIP match during IPL 2019. The run-out divided the cricket fraternity into two worlds, confused the BCCI for their official stand and made fans get into wars of words depending on their local team affiliations.
From the sportsmanship point of view the verdict will likely always be against Ashwin. But we need to look into this episode beyond the realm of virtuosity, and revisit a few basics through which the game is played.
Over the years, the game of cricket, at least the limited overs format, has become increasingly batsman-friendly. The current rules tilt more in favour of them rather than the bowlers.
Gone are the days when fearsome fast bowlers had the liberty to scare batsmen. The surprise element with bouncers is now under restraint. The batsman has all sorts of protection to deal with the most lethal of bowlers.
Spectators pay to watch the batsmen score and feel dejected if wickets tumble. The game is moving towards box office collections which in turn has reduced the prevalence of sporting pitches and made bowlers mentally prepared to get hammered.
A strike rate of under 30 and economy rate below 7 are hugely appreciated these days, in sharp contrast to the old standards of the game.
The fielding restrictions add to the woes of the bowlers all the while. Batsmen are assured of their place in the game and willfully play to the gallery as records tumble, bowlers fumble and spectators roar.
The extras, especially no-balls, have also helped in changing the way contemporary cricket is played. These extras have become a boon to the batsmen too.
So where does the bowler stand in today’s cricket?
He has to be more innovative than ever before, bringing in new variations and additional skills to combat the batsmen. He also has to fight for his spot in the XI, as the competition among bowlers who can restrict batsmen is at an all-time high.
With replacement options easily available, the pressure to perform and provide results constantly looms over the bowler's mind.
In a tournament like the IPL, the pressure to contribute has reached sky high - especially if you are a captain of a struggling side. In such a scenario, everything seems fair in your bid to win the game.
That’s precisely what happened in the game between Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals. Staying within the rule books, Ashwin did what many perceived as unwarranted. But he only did it because he was so desperate to win the game.
The discussions will drag on about fair play, but the game is bound to face challenges if the rules of the game are written with spectators as top priority, and bowlers being last on the list.