“Fold and leave the table” – Ravichandran Ashwin uses poker reference while reacting to Brendan Taylor’s statement on spot-fixing

Team India’s off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin used a poker reference while reacting to Brendan Taylor’s statement on spot-fixing on Monday. The 35-year-old stated that a hand dealt at the poker table gives an option to bet or fold, and that it’s sometimes important to fold and leave.

Taking to his official Twitter account, former Zimbabwe captain Taylor revealed that he is facing a ban from the International Cricket Council (ICC) after admitting he received a USD 15,000 ‘deposit’ for spot-fixing.

However, he claimed that he was blackmailed into doing so and that he was never involved in any kind of fixing. The retired cricketer added that it took him four months to report the incident to the ICC anti-corruption unit as he feared for his safety.

Reacting to the development, Ashwin shared Taylor’s statement on his Twitter handle and wrote:

“Spread the awareness!! Most times the hand dealt to us at the poker table gives us an option to bet or fold!! Its important to fold and leave the table! All strength to Brendan and his family.”

Spread the awareness!! Most times the hand dealt to us at the poker table gives us an option to bet or fold!! Its important to fold and leave the table! All strength to Brendan and his family twitter.com/brendantaylor8…

To my family, friends and supporters. Here is my full statement. Thank you!

To my family, friends and supporters. Here is my full statement. Thank you! https://t.co/sVCckD4PMV

Spread the awareness!! Most times the hand dealt to us at the poker table gives us an option to bet or fold!! Its important to fold and leave the table! All strength to Brendan and his family???? twitter.com/brendantaylor8…

Ashwin was part of the Indian Test and ODI squads that went down to the Proteas in South Africa.

What Brendan Taylor said in his statement

Sharing a detailed statement on Twitter, Taylor revealed that in 2019 he traveled to India to discuss the launch of a new T20 competition in Zimbabwe and was promised USD 15,000 as payment. On what transpired next, the 35-year-old recalled:

“We had drinks and during the course of the evening, they openly offered me cocaine, which they themselves engaged in. I foolishly took the bait. The following morning, the same men stormed into my hotel room and showed me a video taken of me the night before doing cocaine and told me that if I did not spot-fix at international matches for them, the video would be released to the public.”

The former cricketer admitted to receiving USD 15,000 as a deposit and was promised USD 20,000 after completing the job. However, he clarified:

“I would like to place on record that I have never been involved in any form of match-fixing. I may be many things, but I am not a cheat. That being said, the ICC are taking the decision to impose a multi-year ban on my international cricketing career. I humbly accept this decision.”

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Taylor, who played 34 Tests, 205 ODIs and 45 T20s for Zimbabwe, also revealed that he will check into a rehabilitation center on Tuesday to get his life ‘back on track’.