Star India Ravichandran Ashwin has delivered a spirited response to Michael Vaughan's criticism of India's performance in the South Africa Test series. After India's loss in the first Test, Vaughan labelled the team as one of the most 'underachieving' in world cricket, a sentiment echoed by some former Indian cricketers.
In a fiery video on his YouTube channel, Ashwin dismissed Vaughan's remarks, finding them amusing. He pointed out India's substantial achievements in world cricket, particularly in Test matches, suggesting that the criticism was unwarranted. Ashwin's retort reflects his confidence in the team's overall success and highlights its resilience amidst occasional setbacks.
"Michael Vaughan made a statement after the first Test that India is an underachieving team. Yes, we haven't won trophies for years. We call ourselves the powerhouses of the game. But the Test team has been one of the best travelling teams in the vicinity. We have seen many great results," Ashwin said in response.
"After he said that, so many experts from our own country started questioning if India is an underachieving team. Frankly, it made me laugh. Picture yourself. Just reverse the situation. SA batted first in this test after winning the toss. If SA had batted first after winning the toss in Centurion, wasn't there a chance they could have gotten all out by 65? Even India was staring at the barrel at 20/3, thanks to Virat and Shreyas' partnership from there to save us."
Ravichandran Ashwin continues to back India
Ashwin further slammed Vaughan and said we nitpick too much. "So, both cricket and test cricket are differentiated by fine margins. In a country like India, where we talk cricket in every nook and cranny and consider the sport a religion, I feel we criticise and nitpick too much and get into unnecessary details. I think these are blinding us," said Ashwin.
While acknowledging India's back-to-back losses in the World Test Championship finals, Ashwin emphasises the team's commendable performance in overseas Test assignments. He underscores the sporting nature of cricket, emphasising that a high-calibre team with strong mental fortitude can stage comebacks. Ashwin expresses confidence in the Indian team's ability to bounce back, as demonstrated consistently.
Despite conceding the two WTC final defeats, he wholeheartedly accepts them but highlights the inherent possibility of comebacks in the Test series. Ashwin's perspective underscores the resilience and mental strength of the Indian cricket team in navigating challenges and turning situations in their favour.
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'We criticize and nitpick too much' - Ravichandran Ashwin slams Michael Vaughan for his comments on Indian Cricket Team
Star India Ravichandran Ashwin has delivered a spirited response to Michael Vaughan's criticism of India's performance in the South Africa Test series.
Ravichandran Ashwin (Source: Twitter)
Star India Ravichandran Ashwin has delivered a spirited response to Michael Vaughan's criticism of India's performance in the South Africa Test series. After India's loss in the first Test, Vaughan labelled the team as one of the most 'underachieving' in world cricket, a sentiment echoed by some former Indian cricketers.
In a fiery video on his YouTube channel, Ashwin dismissed Vaughan's remarks, finding them amusing. He pointed out India's substantial achievements in world cricket, particularly in Test matches, suggesting that the criticism was unwarranted. Ashwin's retort reflects his confidence in the team's overall success and highlights its resilience amidst occasional setbacks.
"Michael Vaughan made a statement after the first Test that India is an underachieving team. Yes, we haven't won trophies for years. We call ourselves the powerhouses of the game. But the Test team has been one of the best travelling teams in the vicinity. We have seen many great results," Ashwin said in response.
"After he said that, so many experts from our own country started questioning if India is an underachieving team. Frankly, it made me laugh. Picture yourself. Just reverse the situation. SA batted first in this test after winning the toss. If SA had batted first after winning the toss in Centurion, wasn't there a chance they could have gotten all out by 65? Even India was staring at the barrel at 20/3, thanks to Virat and Shreyas' partnership from there to save us."
Ravichandran Ashwin continues to back India
Ashwin further slammed Vaughan and said we nitpick too much. "So, both cricket and test cricket are differentiated by fine margins. In a country like India, where we talk cricket in every nook and cranny and consider the sport a religion, I feel we criticise and nitpick too much and get into unnecessary details. I think these are blinding us," said Ashwin.
While acknowledging India's back-to-back losses in the World Test Championship finals, Ashwin emphasises the team's commendable performance in overseas Test assignments. He underscores the sporting nature of cricket, emphasising that a high-calibre team with strong mental fortitude can stage comebacks. Ashwin expresses confidence in the Indian team's ability to bounce back, as demonstrated consistently.
Despite conceding the two WTC final defeats, he wholeheartedly accepts them but highlights the inherent possibility of comebacks in the Test series. Ashwin's perspective underscores the resilience and mental strength of the Indian cricket team in navigating challenges and turning situations in their favour.