Photo Sky Sport
An Australian journalist has been copping the backlash over cricket's latest Mankad controversy because his name is almost identical to the English player involved.
Bowler Ravi Ashwin took the bails off at the non-striker's end while England batsman Jos Buttler was backing up in an Indian Premier League game.
But an Australian called Josh Buttler tweeted that he had been receiving loads of messages, both angry and supportive, after the incident.
"It's been quite a day for me on twitter," he wrote.
The term "Mankad" — used when a bowler runs out a non-striker before delivery — was coined 70 years ago after incidents involving Indian allrounder Vinoo Mankad. Many believe this method of dismissal is against the spirit of cricket.
Former test stars including Shane Warne and Michael Vaughan have attacked Ashwin, and Warne has even called on Indian authorities to suspend him.
Ashwin said his Mankad was instinctive and stressed he did not pre-meditate the dismissal.
Josh Buttler has company in the cricket mistaken identity department. Last year, an ESPN feature writer named Steve Smith copped plenty after the ball tampering incident in South Africa where the Australian captain of the same name was a central figure.
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