'Stay out of the way': Ravi Shastri, Mike Atherton criticise Akash Deep's send-off to Ben Duckett
NEW DELHI: One of the more controversial moments of Day 2 at The Oval came not from bat or ball, but from an overly zealous send-off. During England's innings in the fifth and final Test, India's pacer Akash Deep dismissed
Ben Duckett
after an intense exchange — and celebrated by wrapping an arm around the batter's shoulder, flashing a grin and muttering a few words.
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It began when Duckett, in the heat of an entertaining Bazball-fuelled 43 off 38 balls, tried to rattle the young Indian quick, reportedly saying, "You cannot get me out in here." The opener followed it up with a cheeky reverse ramp, delighting the crowd.
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But the tables turned swiftly. Akash Deep had Duckett caught behind by Dhruv Jurel and followed it up with a demonstrative send-off—fist-pump, shoulder grab, and all. While the moment seemed playful to some, former cricketers
Michael Atherton
and
Ravi Shastri
didn't see it that way.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Atherton was blunt in his disapproval. 'Can you imagine doing that to Viv Richards or any number? I would have hated that. If a bowler puts his arms around me, having just dismissed me — stay out of the way,' he said.
Poll
Do you think Akash Deep's send-off to Ben Duckett crossed the line?
Yes, it was inappropriate
No, it was just playful
It depends on the context
Shastri, offering a cheeky quip in return, added, 'If Athers had put his hand around me getting me out, I'd have said, 'Get out of the way!'' But the former India coach quickly turned serious: "No, no physical contact.
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Because what it can lead to. I mean Duckett at that moment of time might have been thinking something else. Another player with a feisty temperament wouldn't have liked it and could have done something which he would have regretted.
Just because it's being watched by millions around the globe and the match referee will be forced to take action because of the rules and the rulebook."
Atherton added that while passion on the field is welcome, cricket is a non-contact sport and boundaries must be respected.
"It's a serious point actually that, as I say, it seemed good natured and I like to give cricketers maximum leeway on the field because it is an emotional, passionate game. I like to see them getting stuck in. I don't like the match referees getting involved but it's a non-contact sport and something like that will end in problems. So I think the match referee has to stamp that out," Atherton elaborated.
While the moment between Akash and Duckett may have seemed harmless on the surface, the incident has sparked debate about the lines between competitive spirit and overstepping boundaries in modern cricket.
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