The Mankading Debate — Ashwin Runs Out Buttler at Non-Striker's End

The practice of dismissing a non-striker who backs up too far before the bowler delivers is named after Vinoo Mankad, the Indian all-rounder who ran out Australian opener Bill Brown at the non-striker's end during the 1947-48 tour of Australia. Mankad had warned Brown on a previous occasion before running him out in the second Test in Sydney. The dismissal was controversial then, though Don Bradman notably backed Mankad's right to effect it. The debate about whether a warning should precede the dismissal and whether it violates the spirit of cricket has recurred ever since.

By 2019, the dismissal had happened rarely in professional cricket — a handful of instances scattered through the decades, always generating heat. R. Ashwin was already one of cricket's most cerebral and analytically sophisticated players, known for studying the Laws in detail and exploiting every legal advantage. In the 2019 IPL, Ashwin was captain of Kings XI Punjab. Rajasthan Royals were batting with Jos Buttler at the crease, going well.

Buttler had developed a habit — common among modern batsmen — of backing up aggressively before the bowler delivers, shortening the distance to the far crease and converting ones into comfortable runs. Ashwin noticed. His decision to use the Mankad dismissal was not spontaneous — he had thought about it, and he executed it with the deliberateness of a man who had decided the legitimate advantage-taking had to be stopped.

The moment came midway through an over. Buttler was on 69 and had been scoring freely. As Ashwin began his delivery stride, he saw Buttler had left his crease early. He pulled out of his delivery and removed the bails. Third umpire notification was sought and given — Buttler was out of his ground. The replays showed conclusively that Buttler was well outside his crease before the ball left Ashwin's hand.

The reaction in the commentary box, the crowd, and on social media was immediate and largely hostile toward Ashwin. "Unsportsmanlike." "Not cricket." "Should have warned him first." Former England players, in particular, were vociferous in their condemnation. Andrew Flintoff called it "not in the spirit of the game." Ashwin's supporters — largely from the subcontinent — pointed out that the dismissal was entirely legal, that Buttler had been gaining an unfair advantage, and that there was no requirement to warn a batsman before enforcing a legitimate dismissal.

The debate ran for days. Buttler himself was measured in his response — he was disappointed but acknowledged it was within the laws. The most interesting reaction was from the MCC, the guardian of cricket's Laws, which issued a statement saying that while the dismissal was legal, the MCC "would not wish to see the dismissal used in cricket."

During an IPL 2019 match between Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals, KXIP captain Ravichandran Ashwin noticed Royals batsman Jos Buttler backing up too far at the non-striker's end. Instead of delivering the ball, Ashwin removed the bails with Buttler out of his crease, effecting a run-out. The dismissal, while entirely legal under Law 41.16, ignited a massive global debate.

Critics, including many former players and England supporters, argued the dismissal violated the "spirit of cricket" and that Ashwin should have warned Buttler first. Ashwin and his supporters countered that the batsman was gaining an unfair advantage by leaving his crease early, and that warning a player before enforcing a legitimate dismissal was patronizing and illogical. The debate divided along predictable lines, with some viewing Mankading as sharp practice and others seeing it as a legitimate and necessary enforcement of the rules.

The MCC, which had long sent mixed messages about the practice, eventually moved it from "unfair play" to "run out" in the laws of cricket in 2022, effectively normalizing it. The debate, however, continued. The term "Mankading" itself was criticized by Indian commentators as being unfairly associated with Indian cricketer Vinoo Mankad, who had dismissed Bill Brown at the non-striker's end in 1947-48 after warning him. The ICC eventually discouraged use of the term in favor of "non-striker run out."

“I am not here to babysit anyone. The batsman was taking an unfair advantage.”

“I'm obviously disappointed, but it's within the rules of cricket.”

“That's not cricket. Simple as that. You warn him and then you do it.”

“By moving the dismissal to the run-out section, we are clarifying that it is a legitimate and fair method of dismissal.”

The immediate aftermath saw Ashwin subjected to intense criticism, particularly from British and Australian quarters. He was unapologetic. His social media response — pointing out that bowlers deliver within their rights every delivery and batsmen are expected to respect the crease — articulated the position of many who saw the outrage as hypocritical. If a batsman stealing ground is accepted without comment, why should a bowler enforcing the law be condemned?

The episode prompted the MCC to conduct a formal review of the dismissal's place in the Laws. In October 2022, as part of a broader Law revision, the MCC moved the dismissal from Law 41 (Fair and Unfair Play) to Law 38 (Run Out), removing any implication that the act was unfair. The MCC also discouraged use of the term "Mankading," suggesting "non-striker run out" as the preferred description, partly in recognition that naming the dismissal after Vinoo Mankad had unfairly associated his name with something negative.

Buttler and Ashwin subsequently became IPL teammates at Rajasthan Royals. The pragmatism of franchise cricket meant personal relations were maintained professionally, though the incident remained a talking point whenever either was asked about it.