Ashwin batted at No.6 for Rajasthan against Lucknow Super Giants in Mumbai on Sunday, but left the field after two balls in the 19th over to make way for Riyan Parag. He had scored 28 off 23 before retiring himself out.

“T20, as a sport, is heading towards where football has reached. Just like how they are using substitutions, I did something similar (retiring out). Already we are late, but I believe this will happen a lot in the future. I don’t think it will be a stigma like running someone out at the non-striker’s end,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.