'Let batters play switch hits, but give us LBW when they miss' - Ravi Ashwin demands for another alteration in rules

Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has opined that a batter should be given out leg-before wicket if he/she misses the shot while playing a reverse sweep. According to the current rules, a batter cannot be given out LBW if the ball pitches outside the leg stump, even if it is hitting him or her on the pads in line.

The veteran spinner also gave an example of the recently concluded rescheduled fifth Test between England and India which was won by the home team.  Ashwin pointed out that England’s batter Joe Root tried to play the reverse sweep many times but he kept missing the ball.

Speaking on his YouTube channel Ashwin said, “In this game, it was about the approach that Joe Root and Bairstow took. Root played about 10 shots, where he turned around completely and attempted the reverse sweep. He played that 10 times but didn’t connect on 9 of them. On the 10th time, it got the under-edge and rolled away. Bairstow, meanwhile, kept padding the balls away.”

Once you play the reverse sweep, it’s no longer a blind spot: Ravi Ashwin

Term ‘Blind spot’ is used when a ball pitches outside the line of the leg stump and is not visible to a batter while standing in his original stance. The Indian spinner emphasized the fact that it did not remain a blind spot when Root switched from his original stance and stood like a left-handed batter while playing his reverse sweeps.

“This is where I have a small difference of opinion. As a bowler, I am informing you that I am bowling left-arm spin from over the stumps and I have this (leg side) field. You front up to that as a right-hander, but you play that reverse sweep and hit like a left-hander. But when Root does that, he won’t be out lbw because of the blind spot. It’s only a blind spot when you are at your normal stance. Once you play the reverse sweep and have a left-handed stance, it’s no longer a blind spot. It’s front on,” said Ashwin.