'It was similar to The Undertaker’s stare...' - Ravichandran Ashwin on Adam Zampa's failed non-striker run out attempt

Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades locked horns in the Big Bash League on Tuesday, the 3^rd of January.  Stars skipper Adam Zampa won the toss and asked the renegades to bat first at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne. Although the stars ended up on the wrong side of the match and lost the match by 33 runs.

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Apart from the result of the match, skipper Adam Zampa attracted headlines for completely a different what he did during the second innings of the match. Renegades batter Tom Rogers was clearly outside the crease at the non-striker’s end, Zampa didn’t miss it and ran him out for taking extra ground before the ball was delivered. However, the latter had done with his bowling motion and passed the virtual ‘vertical’ due to which the TV umpire declared it as run-out in the end.

Meanwhile, the veteran Indian all-rounder and one of the brilliant cricketing brains, Ravichandran Ashwin couldn’t resist from opining on this incident. Notably, the 36-year-old has been a staunch advocator of running out at the non-striker’s end if he is taking the extra ground and out of the crease.

Every time this incident happens, there are preachers who hop in and start preaching - Ravichandran Ashwin

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Ashwin also registered his dissent over the third umpire’s decision of declaring not out. Subsequently, the 2011 World Cup winner Indian all-rounder praised Adam Zampa showing bravery and taking this step without considering any kind of possible media criticism and comments from the cricketing fraternity.

“I am tired of talking or writing about this topic. Every time this incident happens, there are preachers who hop in and start preaching. But the best thing I loved from this whole incident is the stare given by Adam Zampa after running out the non-striker. It was similar to The Undertaker’s stare in the World Wrestling Federation. He didn’t even say a word to the batsman. The batsman also stood in silence without knowing whether it was out or not out,” said Ashwin in a video on his YouTube channel.

“People will talk about the legality of the dismissal. That he has completed his action and stuff like that. But see, he was about to bowl, and the non-striker had started running. In fact, the rule clearly states that you can run anywhere as soon as the bowler releases since he can’t run you out anymore once he releases. If you ask me if the non-striker starts running once the bowler releases, that in itself is an advantage for the non-striker. Because the batsman hasn’t made an impact yet. And I don’t know how many balls come back to the bowler as the batter rarely plays defense in T20," he added later.