Watch: Ravichandran Ashwin miffed with Joe Root's non-striker position

Ravichandran Ashwin had a great day at the office on day 3 of the Mohali Test. After hitting a valuable fifty with the bat, the offie bagged 3 wickets in the England second innings. His heroics with bat and ball has surely deflated the visitors. At 78/4, England looks struggling in the third Test of the series. Only a miracle from here on can save England in the match.

However, all was not well for the Tamil Nadu spinner. During the last session of play, he looked visibly unhappy with English batsman Joe Root. Joe Root chose to stand at an unusual position at the non-striker’s end. He stood very close to the umpire on the other side from where Ashwin was bowling. The unusual position caused a bit of discomfort for the Indian spinner.

No wonder, Ravichandran Ashwin was quick to have a word with the umpire. The umpire rightly told Ashwin that Root was well within the permitted range where a non-striker batsman can stand. Ashwin, still not pleased with it, kept complaining again and again. Meanwhile, Joe Root acted as if he is unknown about what is going around him. He refused to even look at Ashwin or the umpire for that matter.

As per the rules of cricket, the position of non-striker is defined by the Law 29.3, that states “The non-striker, when standing at the bowler’s end, should be positioned on the opposite side of the wicket to that from which the ball is being delivered, unless a request to do otherwise is granted by the umpire.”

England skipper Alastair Cook struggled against the off-spin of Ashwin. When he encountered a very close lbw shout, he was given out by the umpire. It was Root, who asked Cook to review the decision. The DRS showed the ball had pitched outside leg. It was after this incident that Root took the unusual position. However, Ashwin had the last laugh as he bagged the wicket of Cook with a beauty.

Joe Root was subsequently joined by Jonny Bairstow. Yet again, both batsmen used the same tactics of standing close to the stumps. An annoyed Ravichandran Ashwin walked up to umpire Chris Gaffaney yet again to have a word, but in vain. The reason behind Root’s position remains unknown but Ashwin was surely miffed.

Meanwhile, the commentators believed Ashwin should continue his job rather than focusing where the non-striker is standing. “Ashwin seems far too involved in where the batsman’s standing. He needs to bowl and the batsman needs to decide where he stands. It’s a very simple game actually,” quoted Nasser Hussain.

Later, Jayant Yadav also pulled out of his bowling stride due to the same reason. Hussain reiterated “Now, there are mind games going on. It’s getting ridiculous. You bowl and I bat – where I stand is not up to you, it’s up to us.”

Watch: Ravichandran Ashwin miffed with Joe Root’s non-striker position: