Earlier this week, a huge controversy broke out in a Big Bash League (BBL) game when Adam Zampa attempted a run out at the non-striker’s end.
The 30-year-old spinner, who is also the captain of Melbourne Stars, while bowling in the final over of the first innings, attempted a ‘Mankad’ to dismiss Melbourne Renegades’ Tom Rogers.
However, the third umpire turned down the run-out as Zampa had performed full bowling action before dislodging the bails.
Stars eventually lost the contest by 33 runs.
The coach of the Zampa-led team, David Hussey, speaking on the incident after the match, said they would have withdrawn the appeal if the TV umpire had deemed the batter out.
Now reacting to Zampa’s attempt, Indian off-spinner Ashwin, who himself has a fine history of such dismissals, slammed Hussey over his remark and compared the Aussie spinner to the ‘Undertaker’ of WWE.
Speaking on his official YouTube channel, Ashwin stated,
“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 WWE. 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.
“I don’t believe what he [Hussey] said. Because if you wanted to withdraw the appeal, you need not have taken that to the third umpire itself. You could have easily withdrawn that appeal even before it had gone to the third umpire. First of all, why should you withdraw the appeal? A bowler is running the non-striker out. The captain will say that the bowler is wrong or what? What a big insult that is to the bowler if the captain is withdrawing the appeal,” he added.
