This is what happened: Maxwell turned around in his stance and went for a switch reverse hit against the leg spinner Gareth Delaney, and was hit on the pad. Umpire Nitin Menon ruled it not out, prompting the Irish to refer it to the third umpire. The replays showed the ball had landed outside leg stump and was negated. Of course when it hit the pad, since Maxwell had turned around like a left hander, it was just outside off stump.
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Ashwin had raised this point before, saying such appeals should be given out.
Maxwell survives an lbw review – outside leg despite him going for the switch hit #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/GiNTCX5b7t
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 31, 2022
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Ashwin wants the batsmen to be given out lbw even when the ball pitches outside the leg stump if they are attempting to play reverse sweep or a switch hit. As things stand, lbw rule is not applicable even if the ball is expected to hit the stumps as long as the ball pitches outside leg stump as its considered a blind spot for a batsman.
Ashwin wanted the cricket authorities to relook at that to even up the contest.
“Please play your reverse sweeps, but give us (bowlers) lbw!” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. “How can you say it’s not lbw when you turn (your body and it’s no longer a blind spot). It’s only a blind spot when you are at your normal stance. Once you play the reverse sweep or switch hit, it’s no longer a blind spot. It’s extremely unfair that it’s not ruled lbw.”
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He then brought up his argument for lbws. “As a bowler I tell the batsman my line of attack (over or around the stumps), and I am giving a clear glimpse of my field too. You front up as a right-handed batsman but switch to a left hander.”
