R Ashwin unhappy with Rishabh Pant withdrawing Rathi's mankad appeal against Jitesh
Mumbai, May 28 (PTI): Ravichandran Ashwin is not impressed with Rishabh Pant’s decision to withdraw a run-out appeal against RCB stand-in skipper Jitesh Sharma at non-striker's during Tuesday's game, saying it was an insult to the bowler, who may feel small and scarred.
In the 17th over of the match on Tuesday during RCB’s tense chase, LSG’s Digvesh Rathi took off the bails after observing that Jitesh had left the crease at the non-striker’s end.
The replays showed while the batter was outside the crease, the decision was turned down since the bowler had completed his delivery stride.
But while it all unfolded, Pant withdrew the appeal following which Jitesh hugged the fellow wicketkeeper-batter. RCB went on to win the game by six wickets.
Ashwin, who has been a vocal supporter of 'mankading', said Pant should have backed his bowler.
"Let me dive into the technicalities of this incident. Is Jitesh Sharma justified in being out if he stepped out of the crease before he (Rathi) got into the delivery stride? Yes, he is justified in being given out and the bowler is also well-justified," he said on his YouTube show.
"Digvesh Rathi landed at the front foot and Jitesh Sharma was inside the crease. So, in all technical possibilities, this is not out. And what happened? After hitting the stump, (umpire) Michael Gough asked Digvesh Rathi (but) he didn't ask him, 'are you sure?” He asked him whether he was appealing."
“He (Rathi) said, ‘yes, I am appealing’. So, he (Gough) went to the third umpire and the third umpire took the right decision. He said, 'he has crossed his delivery stride, the batsman is inside the crease, I have a decision, not out',” Ashwin added.
The Indian spin legend, however, added he did not like Pant taking back the appeal.
"Now, till now, everything is fine. Bowler has hit, appealed, not out. It's just another day in the office. But what happened? After this, during the match (the) commentators said, ‘Rishabh Pant has withdrawn the appeal. What an amazing act of sportsmanship!’”
"Come on, yaar. Let's grow out of this. ......I am asking one question. Think about it, Digvesh Rathi is your son. Whoever is watching this video, he is your son, and Digvesh Rathi's captain has criticised his decision in front of crores of people.
"It's actually gone over the board because, look, a captain's job is actually to back a player. Alright? A captain's job is to not make a bowler feel small. By making this decision of pulling away an appeal, he should have done it earlier," he added.
Ashwin said while such matters are already discussed within teams and between two opponents before a game, Rathi could be vilified for his act.
"We don't know if he already spoke to them (LSG camp) or not. But let's stop this vilification of that youngster in front of crores and crores of people. Do we do that to anybody else? Why does a bowler look small? It is actually a humiliation," Ashwin opined.
"What happens is (that) a bowler feels so small that he will never do it and people will say in the comment section that he should not do it. Why? Why shouldn't he do it?,” Ashwin added.
"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. But because nobody really cares about a bowler. So, in front of crores of people, should we withdraw his appeal and insult him?," he asked.
https://t.co/CuYS1UoI6V pic.twitter.com/bva236QnD6
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
