The oft-discussed debate over the spirit of the game and ‘mankadaing’ – a form of dismissal where the bowler runs the non-striker out – made a reappearance on social media after Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting has said he will have a ‘hard conversation’ about it with Indian spinner Ashwin Ravichandran.

Ashwin had famously dismissed England’s Jos Buttler at the non-striker’s end in a game between Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals during last year’s Indian Premier League, which sparked yet another debate about the dismissal and spirit of cricket.

Enough is enough: Stop the outrage against ‘Mankading’ in cricket – it is just a run out

The Indian spinner was unapologetic about it and continue to advocate the legitimacy of the dismissal since the batter is trying to take advantage. It should be noted that it is a completely legal form of taking a wicket as the batter is required to stay in the crease till the ball is bowled.

However, former Australia captain Ponting is among the ones who believe that this action is contrary to the ‘spirit’ cricket should be played in. In the off-season, Ashwin has moved from Kings XI Punjab to Delhi Capitals where he will be working with former Australian captain Ponting.

“... that’s going to be a conversation and that’s going to be a hard conversation I will have to have with him, but I’m pretty sure he’ll take it on the chin. I think, even him, looking back now... probably he’d say it was within the rules of the game and that he’s right to do it, but it is not within the spirit of the game. Not in the way I want, at least with the Delhi Capitals anyway,” Ponting said on theGrade Cricketers Podcast.

The comment reignited the debate, which then took a turn for the worse given Ponting’s Australia used to be one of the most ruthless cricket teams in the past. Here’s a look at how Twitter reacted to this new development.

Humor was aplenty, of course