Pycroft not a schoolteacher or principal: Ashwin backs match referee amid PCB's criticism

Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has backed match referee Andy Pycroft amid Pakistan's criticism in the post-match handshake controversy, saying the Zimbabwean official is not a "school teacher" and was only doing his job to avoid an unnecessary spectacle.

Pycroft was the referee last Sunday when India, as a policy decision, did not shake hands with Pakistan after their Asia Cup match. He was dragged into the controversy after India skipper Suryakumar Yadav did not follow the convention at the toss.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wrote two emails to the ICC — first requesting Pycroft's removal from the tournament and then seeking his exclusion from their games. Both demands were rejected, with the world body standing firmly behind its Elite Panel referee.

"Andy Pycroft actually saved everybody from seeing such a poor spectacle. India informed the match referee in advance — this is our decision, and we will follow it. That's it. After all this drama, you lost the match. So what are you complaining about?” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel 'Ash Ki Baat'.

“He is not a schoolteacher. He's not a principal. He can't go and bring Surya and say, ‘Come shake hands'. That's not his job. What exactly is Pycroft's fault here?” he asked.

The ICC rejected PCB's claims that Pycroft had violated the ‘Spirit of the Game' code, clarifying that he was merely relaying what had been conveyed by the Asian Cricket Council's venue manager, with little time left before the match began.

The governing body later arranged a meeting between Pycroft and Pakistan's team management -- captain Salman Ali Agha, head coach Mike Hesson and manager Naveed Akram Cheema, where the PCB claimed the referee said he "regretted the miscommunication."      Ashwin said the Indian players were simply following directives from their board, with no ambiguity in communication to Pycroft. He was also scathing about Pakistan's demand for an apology.

"If I were Andy Pycroft, you are apologising to me. What would I even be apologising for? ‘I'm sorry that Suryakumar Yadav didn't shake your hand'? Really?” the 39-year-old from Chennai said.

The ICC, in another email, underlined that Pycroft had never apologised but only “regretted the miscommunication”, and also accused PCB of violating ‘Players and Match Officials Area' (PMOA) protocols — a charge Pakistan denied.

Despite PCB's repeated objections, the ICC has once again assigned Pycroft as match referee for Sunday's high-voltage India-Pakistan Asia Cup Super 4s game, underlining its resolve not to set a precedent by removing the former Zimbabwe batter.