IPL 2020: No hard feelings between Ponting and Ashwin, says Delhi Capitals CEO

Dubai - Ponting admitted that 'batsmen shouldn't be cheating' by leaving the crease before a bowler bowls his delivery

Delhi Capitals CEO Dhiraj Malhotra opened up on the 'Mankading' row which threatened to snowball into a big controversy after the team head coach Ricky Ponting's comments that he would have a chat with new signing Ravichandran Ashwin on the subject.
Ashwin, who was playing for the Kings XI Punjab last year, 'Mankadded' Rajasthan Royals' Jos Buttler in the 2019 IPL after the England player had left the crease at the non-striker's end before a ball was bowled - an incident that sparked the 'spirit of the game' debate.
But Malhotra suggested that there was no hard feelings between Ponting and Ashwin.
"It was totally taken out of context. Ponting was having a banter with his friends back home, it was not how it was portrayed," Malhotra told Khaleej Times during an interview.
"Both are very serious cricketers and top personalities. They had already spoken about it in a chat show," he said, referring to Ashwin's chat with Ponting on YouTube recently where the Australian admitted that 'batsmen shouldn't be cheating' by leaving the crease before a bowler bowls his delivery.
"They had a very good conversation about it. It is important that they have cleared the air. There are no hard feelings at all."
 

• IPL 2019