‘He said we aren’t like that’: R Ashwin talks about Virat Kohli and Ricky Ponting’s spat in IPL 2020

Virat Kohli is one of the most fiercest competitors’ in world cricket. The 32-year-old batsman wears his heart on his sleeves and gets into regular arguments on the field with the opposition players. Even though he has mellowed down in recent years, Kohli still never backs off from a fight. In the recently concluded Indian Premier League 2020, there was another issue that became a talking point after the match.

During a game between Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore, R Ashwin picked up a minor injury and was forced off the field after bowling his quota of four overs. But Kohli and RCB coach Simon Katich did not take kindly to it. During a strategic time-out, Kohli was seen arguing with Delhi coach Ricky Ponting as the latter defended DC’s decision to take the off-spinner off the field.

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Recently, Ashwin lifts the lid on what happened between the two on his Youtube show. Ashwin said that Ponting maintained that Ashwin had indeed picked up an injury and had to leave the field for treatment.

“I had a back problem when I ran. It was a terrible pain. They took MRI scans and it was traced to a nerve pull on my back. I went off after bowling. The opposition thought, I bowled 4 overs and went in. They asked ‘How can that be done?’.

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“Ricky, we all know, never backs off from a fight. And when RCB questioned, he said we aren’t like that. It was just at the heat of the moment,” R Ashwin said.

Ashwin had to miss several games during the start of the season due to a shoulder problem he picked up in a game against Kings XI Punjab. He came back and but against RCB, he again had to get treatment. Ashwin picked up the wicket of Virat Kohli before leaving the field.