Ashwin Defends Pakistan’s Usman Tariq After Indian Cricketer Criticizes Bowling Action

Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has come to the defense of Pakistan’s mystery spinner Usman Tariq after Indian domestic cricketer and commentator Shrivastav Goswami criticized Tariq’s bowling action during the T20 World Cup match against the United States.

Goswami shared a video clip of Usman Tariq’s bowling on social media, comparing his brief pause in delivery to a footballer stopping during a penalty kick. “Even in football, players are not allowed to stop before taking a penalty. How can this be okay?” he wrote. He further questioned the legality of the pause, stating that while the action may be fine, stopping during delivery was “too much” and should not be allowed.

Responding to the criticism, Ashwin — who himself has occasionally used variations in his run-up — pointed out inconsistencies in how cricket laws are applied. “I agree that such a pause isn’t allowed in football,” Ashwin wrote, “but when a batter is allowed to play a reverse shot or switch hands without informing the umpire or bowler, why are restrictions applied only to bowlers?”

Ashwin further argued that bowlers are not permitted to switch bowling hands without notifying the umpire in advance, suggesting that the laws should be reviewed for balance between bat and ball.

In a subsequent detailed post on X (formerly Twitter), Ashwin clarified that the legality of a bowling action can only be determined by the ICC’s testing center. He noted that under ICC regulations, a bowling action is considered legal if elbow extension remains within 15 degrees. Regarding the pause in delivery, Ashwin stated that, in his view, it is completely legal.

Usman Tariq delivered an impressive performance in the T20 World Cup match against the USA, claiming three wickets and playing a key role in Pakistan’s bowling effort.