IPL 2025: Ravi Ashwin defends Digvesh Rathi in Jitesh Sharma run-out incident

Former India spinner and Chennai Super Kings’ ace bowler Ravichandran Ashwin has defended Digvesh Rathi trying to dismiss Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Jitesh Sharma in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025). Playing in an important clash for a place in Qualifier 1, RCB’s stand-in skipper Jitesh was dismissed by Rathi, but the appeal was withdrawn by Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant. However, Ashwin has defended Rathi, stating Pant should not have withdrawn his appeal.

What was the incident?

In the final ball of the 17th over, Rathi took off the bails at the non-striker's end, thereby dismissing Jitesh while he was out of the crease. According to ICC rules, Jitesh was deemed out and an appeal had been made to the umpire by the bowler. However, that appeal was withdrawn by Pant, thereby giving a lifeline to Jitesh as a gesture of sportsmanship.

However, according to Ashwin that appeal should not have been withdrawn. The decision had huge consequences on the outcome of the match as Jitesh would help RCB win the match and thereby book their place in Qualifier 1 of the IPL 2025.

"Digvesh Rathi is not my relative. He is not my friend. I don't know who he is. But I am saying… You will scar a bowler so much that it will really affect him," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. "But because nobody really cares about a bowler, so in front of crores of people, should we withdraw his appeal and insult him?"

Bengaluru chased down 228 to go second in the 10-team table in the last league match of this season and set up a meeting with table-toppers Punjab Kings on Thursday.

The result pushed the Gujarat Titans into the third spot. They will face Mumbai Indians in the eliminator on Friday.

The winners of Qualifier 1 go straight to the final on June 3 but the losers have a second chance of joining them as they will face the winner of the eliminator in Qualifier 2 to decide who will head to Ahmedabad.

Lucknow skipper Rishabh Pant signed off with an unbeaten 118 off 61 balls in his team's 227-3, but Bengaluru knocked off the target with eight balls to spare.