Ashwin’s on-field altercation with Morgan brings back ‘Spirit of Game’ debate

Senior KKR player Dinesh Karthik was happy to come in-between an angry Ravichandran Ashwin and irate Eoin Morgan after their heated on-field altercation and play the role of a “peace-maker” during their IPL encounter against Delhi Capitals on September 28.

KKR beat DC by three wickets in a low-scoring encounter but the problem had started when Ashwin tried stealing an extra run after KKR fielder Rahul Tripathi’s throw ricocheted off DC captain’s body.

Karthik revealed that his skipper felt that it wasn’t in “Spirit of the Game” and had a word or two reserved for Ashwin when he got out off a Tim Southee delivery. An angry Ashwin who was leaving the field stopped and was seen charging towards the KKR skipper when Karthik came in between and gave his Tamil Nadu statemate a friendly pat requesting him to leave.

“Look, I know that when Rahul Tripathi threw the ball and it ricocheted off Rishabh Pant’s body, Ashwin called for it and they started to run,” Karthik said at the post-match press conference after his side defeated Delhi Capitals by three-wickets.

“I don’t think [Eoin] Morgan appreciated that. I think he is somebody who, when the ball hits the batsman or the bat, expects them not to run in ‘Spirit of Cricket’. Again it is a very grey area, it is a very interesting topic, I have my own opinion on it,” the flamboyant cricketer-cum-commentator said at the post-match interaction.

“But at the moment, I will just say, I am happy I played peace-maker and things have come to a good standstill right now,” Karthik quipped.

Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals skipper Rishabh Pant downplayed the confrontation incident saying it is “part and parcel” of the game.

“I think it is part and parcel of the game because both the team are striving to win the match, so something is going to happen. Whatever is good for the game, I think that was in the ‘Spirit of the Game’,” Pant backed his senior bowler. He said that one shouldn’t read too much into these kind of altercations.

“At the end of the day, both Ash and Morgan are trying to win the game for their side and there can be some mis-communication between them,” said the diminutive left-handed batsman.

Pant said that Prithvi Shaw is around 80% fit and probably will “play the next game”.