Cricket villain Ravi Ashwin flattened by karma bus after ‘schoolboy’ error

After copping the wrath of the cricket world for a “disgraceful” act, Ravi Ashwin was hit between the eyes by the mother of all square-ups.

Ravi Ashwin, it’s time to get down on your knees at the altar of the cricket gods and beg for forgiveness.

On the same day cricket’s lawmakers announced a stunning U-turn of their original assessment of the Indian spinner’s Mankad dismissal of Jos Buttler in the IPL — and declared it was not within the spirit of the game — Ashwin found himself on the wrong end of rough call of his own.

The Kings XI Punjab skipper was desperately trying to contain the Kolkata Knight Riders late in their innings after personally being smashed for 0/47 off his four overs.

West Indian powerhitter Andre Russell, who boasts the greatest strike rate in IPL history, had just started his innings when Mohammed Shami nailed him with the sweetest of yorkers.

Removing Russell for three with the score at 3/161 from 16.5 overs would have drastically improved Ashwin’s hopes of going 2-0 to start the IPL on a Kolkata ground that favours the chasing side.

But as Russell left his splayed stumps behind him and headed back to the sheds, he was stunningly recalled after the third umpire announced Ashwin’s side had only three fielders inside the circle when they required four.

“Oh my god,” the commentator said. “Just three inside. That’s (a) schoolboy (error).”

The cost of the mistake was monumental as Russell exploded. With just 19 deliveries left in the entire innings he took his score from three to 48 — including an eight-ball stretch where he went six, four, four, six, six, six, six, four.

He was caught on the fence in the final over but the damage was done as Kolkata finished 4/218 and comfortably defended the total with Kings XI Punjab managing 4/190.

Russell also took 2/21 from three overs and said in a post-game interview he’d have to “get a bigger garage” after winning another car for man of the match.

He cheekily thanked first-gamer Varun Chakravarty, who was identified as the man who let Ashwin down in the field.

“Thanks to that guy who was outside the ring,” Russell said. “It’s the new guy, forgot his name. Thank you.

“When I got bowled, I thought I’d missed out but I saw the guys in the dug out signalling no-ball and I was like, please God, let it be a no-ball.”

MCC’S STUNNING U-TURN AS WAUGH WEIGHS IN

It came after the custodian’s of cricket’s laws, the MCC, changed their tune after initially stating the decision to give Buttler out was “understandable”.

“Having extensively reviewed the incident again and after further reflection we don’t think it was within the spirit of the game,” the MCC’s manager of laws Fraser Stewart told the Telegraph.

“We believe the pause was too long between the time Ashwin reached the crease and the moment it was reasonable to expect the ball would be delivered.

“When Buttler could have reasonably expected the ball to be delivered, he was in his ground.”

After Shane Warne led the early charge, Aussie great Mark Waugh also condemned Ashwin’s behaviour.

“He’s the captain ... it’s not a good look,” Waugh said. “It’s legal, but you normally only do it if the non striker is trying to get an advantage by stealing a single.

“You’d only think about the Mankad if the batsman was trying to cheat and usually you’d do it to give them a warning first. He didn’t even give Buttler a warning!”