Ex-Indian spinner Ashwin hits back at criticism of Usman Tariq’s bowling action

Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has firmly responded to criticism from Indian cricketer Shreevats Goswami regarding Pakistan’s mystery spinner Usman Tariq’s bowling action.

Goswami, a domestic cricketer and commentator, shared a clip on social media of Usman Tariq bowling during Pakistan’s T20 World Cup match against the United States. In his caption, he remarked that even in football, players are not allowed to stop during a penalty run-up before striking the ball.

He questioned how such an action could be deemed acceptable, writing that while the bowling action itself may be fine, the pause in the delivery stride was excessive.

“This cannot continue when you are releasing the ball,” he added.

Ashwin, who during his own career was known for varying his run-up and occasionally pausing before delivery, responded pointedly. He wrote that while he agreed such a pause is not permitted in football, cricket operates under different parameters.

He argued that if batters are allowed to switch to a reverse shot or even change their batting hand without informing the umpire or bowler, then restrictions should not apply solely to bowlers.

Ashwin further noted that a bowler is not permitted to switch bowling arms without notifying the umpire, suggesting that such rules should be reviewed for balance.

In a subsequent detailed post on X, Ashwin clarified that the legality of a bowling action can only be determined by the ICC’s testing centre.

He pointed out that under ICC regulations, an elbow extension of up to 15 degrees is considered legal. As for pausing during the delivery stride, he maintained that, in his view, it is entirely within the laws of the game.

During the T20 World Cup fixture against the United States, Usman Tariq delivered an impressive spell, claiming three wickets.

Tweet by Ashwin 🇮🇳