DUBAI: Ravichandran Ashwin on Monday refrained from doing what he would instinctively do in the past -- Mankad the batsman after he had backed up too far at the non-striker's end.
Instead, what the Delhi Capitals off-spinner did was smile wryly after catching Royal Challengers Bangalore opener Aaron Finch short of the crease during their Indian Premier League match here. The bowler, though, warned the Australian.
In the dugout, Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting, who found himself at odds with Ashwin on the contentious issue of Mankading in the run-up to the tournament, also smiled. The incident happened in the third over of Royal Challengers Bangalore's innings, when Finch stepped way out of his crease, but the seasoned off-spinner Ashwin didn't attempt Mankading.
Before the start of the 13th IPL, Ponting had said that he had told Ashwin that he would not like him to Mankad the non-striker in the tournament.
The Delhi Capitals coach, a legend of the game and a staunch critic of the practice named after former India all-rounder Vinoo Mankad, had backed the senior India off-spinner when he asked if the batsman should also be penalised for leaving his crease at the non-striker's end before a ball is delivered.