After Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Sanju Samson was fined Rs 12 lakh for slow over-rate during CSK vs RR clash, another player from the francnhise, all-rounder R Ashwin, was fined 25 percent of his match fee for a breach of IPL code of conduct. Ashwin had slammed the umpiring in the match vs CSK at Chepauk. In his post-match thoughts after RR beat CSK, Ashwin felt surprised by how umpires decided to change the ball for the dew without any consultation with the players. He had said, “I’m quite surprised the umpires changed the ball for dew on their own. It’s never happened before, and I’m quite surprised.” 

“Rajasthan Royals’ Ravichandran Ashwin has been fined 25 Percent of his match-fee for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during Match 17 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on April 12,” read statement from IPL. 

Ashwin has admitted to offence under Article 2.7 which prohibits players from criticising the match officials. 

What it means. ___ pic.twitter.com/I3Xjbzzf5l

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) April 12, 2023

“Ashwin admitted to the Level 1 Offence under Article 2.7 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct. For Level 1 breaches of the Code of Conduct, the Match Referee’s decision is final and binding,” the statement further read.

What does Article 2.7 exactly say?

As per Article 2.7 of IPL Code of Conduct: “Public criticism of, or inappropriate comment in relation to an incident occurring in a Match or any Player, Team Official, Match Official or Team participating in any Match, irrespective of when such criticism or inappropriate comment is made.”

What had Ashwin said on umpiring?

Pointing to the bad umpiring in IPL 2023, Ashwin said that some of the decisions in this IPL has left him ‘flummoxed’. He was not very happy with umpires changing their ball for dew on their own during the CSK vs RR clash. 

“I’m quite surprised the umpires changed the ball for dew on their own. It’s never happened before and I’m quite surprised. Some of the decisions in this year’s IPL on the field have left me a little flummoxed to be honest. I mean, it’s just the middle – left me flummoxed in a good or a bad way. It’s because I think what you need is a little bit of balance”, Ashwin said.

The off-spinner said that the bowling team did not ask for the ball to be changed and on being asked why it was done, he was told that umpires had the right to do it.

“As a bowling team, we are not asking for the ball to be changed. But the ball was changed on the umpire’s accord. I did ask the umpire and he said we can change it. So I just hope every time there is dew they can change it every single time going forward in this IPL. You can do whatever you want, but you just need to be in a standard going forward”, he further said.