Ravichandran Ashwin can come back and bowl without a waiting period in Rajkot: Dinesh Karthik

Indian wicketkeeper-batter and commentator Dinesh Karthik has stated that off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will be allowed to bowl without a waiting period in case he returns for the Rajkot Test.

Ashwin withdrew from the match on Day 2 due to a family medical emergency. He had completed 500 wickets in Test cricket on the same day by dismissing England opener Zak Crawley. However, on Friday, February 16 night, the BCCI confirmed that the off-spinner had pulled out of the Test with immediate effect.

While on air on Day 3 of the Rajkot Test, Karthik commented, as per a report in India Today, that Ashwin would be allowed to come back and bowl in Rajkot without him having to serve a waiting period.

As per rules, on returning, a player has to spend as much time on the field as he did off the field before being allowed to bowl or bat. However, according to Karthik, umpires will allow Ashwin to bowl straightaway considering his case as a unique one.

---

What the MCC rules about return of a cricketer says

The MCC rules over a cricketer returning to the field after spending time off it are as follows:

24.2.2.1 An umpire shall be informed of the reason for this absence.

24.2.2.2 He/she shall not thereafter come on to the field of play during a session of play without the consent of the umpire. See 24.4. The umpire shall give such consent as soon as it is practicable.

24.2.2.3 He/she shall not be permitted to bowl, until having been back on the field of play for a period of time known as Penalty time as described in 24.2.3 to 24.2.7 and 24.3.

24.2.3 A player’s unserved Penalty time shall be limited to a maximum of 90 minutes.

24.2.4 If the player leaves the field before having served all of his/her Penalty time, the balance is carried forward as unserved Penalty time.

24.2.5 The player shall not bowl until all of his/her Penalty time has been served. On any occasion of absence, the amount of Playing time for which the player is off the field shall be added to any Penalty time that remains unserved, subject to 24.2.3.

24.2.6 If there is an unscheduled break in play, the stoppage time shall count as Penalty time served.

---

Indian bowlers lift themselves in Ashwin’s absence on Day 3 in Rajkot

Meanwhile, India’s bowlers made a strong comeback on Day 3 of the third Test against England in Rajkot despite Ashwin’s absence. The visitors resumed their innings on 207/2 and were bowled out for 319. Pacer Mohammed Siraj claimed 4/84, while spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja picked up two wickets each.

For England, Ben Duckett ended up scoring 153 off 151 balls, hitting 23 fours and two sixes, while skipper Ben Stokes contributed 41. At one point in their innings, England were well placed at 224/2, but ended up losing eight wickets for 95 runs.