Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has come out in support of third umpire Nitin Menon for his decision to give Steve Smith not out in the ongoing Ashes Test at the Oval. The incident happened on Day 2 of the match when Smith was batting on 71. He guided a delivery from Chris Woakes towards mid-wicket and was coming back for a second run when substitute fielder George Ealham’s power throw was collected by wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, who dislodged the stumps.

Initially, both the English players and Smith himself believed that it was a run out, but Menon went through a few more frames and later ruled it out as not out because, at the time, the Australian batter was out of the crease, the bails were not completely dislodged by Bairstow. The decision was booed by the English fans, but Ashwin took to Twitter to support Menon.

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“What’s with the Ashes and substitute fielders? #ashes2023 #ashes2005 #garypratt #georgeeahlam. Have to applaud Nitin Menon for making the right decision,” he tweeted.

What’s with the Ashes and substitute fielders. #ashes2023 #ashes2005 #garypratt #georgeeahlam

Have to applaud Nitin Menon for making the right decision 👏👏

— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) July 28, 2023

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar praised Smith’s unique strength, which he believes makes him one of the modern greats in cricket. Manjrekar highlighted Smith’s exceptional “ball sense,” which allows him to make a glorious connection with the ball regardless of his footwork or position on the crease.

Realised again, watching him bat yesterday. Steve Smith has just one overwhelming & unique strength that makes him a modern great.
Sensational ‘ball sense’.
The bat finds its way down at the right time & place to make a glorious connection no matter where his feet are.#Ashes

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) July 29, 2023

During his innings, Smith was involved in a tight run-out call when he was on 44. Attempting a risky double, he had to dive to make his ground as Jonny Bairstow dislodged the bails. The third umpire, Nitin Menon, reviewed the footage to make the decision. Initially, Smith started walking back to the pavilion after seeing the replays on the big screen. However, Menon eventually ruled that the bails did not come off the groove completely, and Smith survived the run-out scare.

Ravichandran Ashwin’s tweet was met with support from many fans, who also praised Menon for his decision. The incident is a reminder of the importance of the laws of cricket, which state that a batsman is only out when the bails are completely dislodged from the stumps. In this case, the bails were only partially dislodged, so Smith was ruled not out.

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The decision has also sparked a debate about the use of substitute fielders in cricket. Some people believe that substitute fielders should not be allowed to participate in run-outs, while others believe that they should be allowed to participate as long as they follow the laws of the game.

The debate is likely to continue, but for now, Ashwin’s support for Menon’s decision has shown that there is still a lot of respect for the laws of cricket in the world of cricket.