‘If a batsman plays a reverse sweep, he should be given out lbw even if the ball pitches outside leg stump’: Ashwin

R Ashwin desires the batsmen to be given out lbw even when the ball pitches exterior the leg stump if they’re trying to play reverse sweep or a change hit. As issues stand, lbw rule just isn’t relevant even when the ball is anticipated to hit the stumps so long as the ball pitches exterior leg stump as its thought of a blind spot for a batsman. Ashwin now desires the cricket authorities to take a relook at that to even up the competition.

“Please play your reverse sweeps, but give us (bowlers) lbw!” Ashwin mentioned on his YouTube channel. “How can you say it’s not lbw when you turn (your body and it’s no longer a blind spot). It’s only a blind spot when you are at your normal stance. Once you play the reverse sweep or switch hit, it’s no longer a blind spot.  It’s extremely unfair that it’s not ruled lbw.”

He took to an indoor nets to reveal what he meant. He mentioned the method by Ravindra Jadeja who bowled from over the wickets, exterior leg stump to Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow through the fifth Test at Edgbaston. “Root tried the reverse sweep for 10 times initially and for the first nine times, he couldn’t connect. The 10th time the ball rolled off the under edge. Bairstow just padded those balls away,” Ashwin mentioned.

He then introduced up his argument for lbws. “As a bowler I inform the batsman my line of assault (over or across the stumps), and I’m giving a transparent glimpse of my area too. You entrance up as a right-handed batsman however change to a left-hander. 

“Try telling Joe Root that if the ball comes from outside leg stump and hits your pad, it’s not blind spot. If I play it from my original stance, it’s blind spot. But if I turn around, then it’s not a blind spot – it’s front-on.”

“The moment you turn around you are front-on. My question is not whether he can play reverse sweep or not, whether it’s negative bowling strategy or not (bowling outside leg stump), my point is about lbw. It’s extremely unfair that it’s not ruled lbw.”

Ashwin additionally talked about how the Australian opener Usman Khawaja performs the reverse sweep with out altering his stance, however by means of his arms. (Ashwin reveals how Usman adjustments the grip on the bat). At least he’s effective. See Alex Carey (Australia’s wicketkeeper batsman).

“Carey turns his physique round (Ashwin reveals how Carey switches round to play like a left-hander). Then it’s not a blind spot when the ball lands exterior leg stump. That’s my standpoint.

“When the batsman plays that kind of shot even once, I think the lbw rule should be applicable. The umpire should tell them,” Ashwin mentioned.