Rajasthan Royals’ captain Sanju Samson and head coach Kumar Sangakarra said that Ravichandran Ashwin’s ‘retired out‘ was the right call to make at the time. The off-spinner, on Sunday, became the first player in the IPL and fourth overall to be retired out. 

The Royals defeated the Lucknow Super Giants by three runs at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. 

Ashwin was batting on 28 runs off 23 balls when he was called off the field in the 19th over. The 35-year-old was replaced by hard-hitter Riyan Parag. The youngster scored eight runs in four balls to take Rajasthan’s total to 165 runs. 

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Ashwin hit two maximums and helped rebuild RR’s innings along with with Shimron Hetmyer (59 not out off 36 balls). However, with two overs to go the team might have wanted Parag to give them a final flourish with quick runs. 

“It’s about being Rajasthan Royals (Ashwin’s retired-out). We keep trying different things. Have been talking about it before the season. We thought that if some situation occurs, we can use it. It was a team decision,” Sanju Samson explained the call. 

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Hetmyer, who was named the player of the match said that a tired Ashwin being replaced for Parag was a good call. 

Royals coach Kumar Sangakarra went on to praise Ashwin for handling the situation well. He however conceded that he erred in not sending Riyan Parag ahead of Rassie van der Dussen.

“It was the right time to do that. Ashwin himself was asking from the field as well and we had discussed just before that as to what we would do,” Sangakkara said at the post-match press conference.

Van der Dussen, playing his first game this season, was sent ahead of Hetmyer, Ashwin and Parag. He was dismissed cheaply. 

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“As the coach I got one call wrong not sending Riyan Parag ahead of Rassie van der Dussen and holding Rassie back so we couldn’t get the full benefit of Riyan.”

“But how Ashwin handled that situation, walking in under pressure, he batted, supported the team and then finally sacrificed himself in terms of retiring himself out and then backed it up with a magnificent bowling effort.”