Ashwin in the thick of fiery altercation

India off-spinner Ravi Ashwin has been involved in a heated altercation in a Tamil Nadu Premier League T20 match and had to be physically restrained by members of the opposing side in a fiery exchange.

Ashwin, captain of the Dindigul Dragons, was incensed after teammate N Jagadeesan was given a verbal send-off by Chepauk Super Gillies’ spinner Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore.

Jagadeesan, having been dismissed by Kishore for 60, turned in the bowler’s direction after the taunt and made contact with him, as the pair attempted to shove one another.

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It was unclear who instigated the contact, but Ashwin, who had been at the non-striker’s end when Jagadeesan skied his attempted slog, was visibly furious and approached Kishore to give him a piece of his mind.

Chepauk wicketkeeper Hari Gopinath held Ashwin and Kishore apart as the umpires and the rest of the Super Gillies team raced in to break up the scuffle.

Ashwin angrily removed his helmet and fervently remonstrated with the umpires before returning to the Chepauk huddle to again confront a sheepish-looking Kishore.

The ugly clash marred the TNPL match, an eight-team T20 league in India in its inaugural season.

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The key wicket of Jagadeesan, who made 60 off 53 balls, halted Dingidul’s momentum as Ashwin perished in the final over of the match as the Dragons fell six runs short in their run-chase.

The 29-year-old had earlier picked up 1-34 from his four overs as the Super Gilles compiled 172.

Ashwin, the No.3 ranked Test bowler in the world, is featuring in the competition alongside the likes of former India batsman Murali Vijay.