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A fresh controversy has ignited following the drawn fourth Test between England and India at Old Trafford, centered around England captain Ben Stokes’ attempt to prematurely end the match. Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has vociferously condemned Stokes’ actions, particularly the gesture to call for an early draw when Indian batters Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar were on the verge of centuries. Ashwin’s impassioned comments, delivered on his YouTube channel, have brought to light what he perceives as ‘double standards’ and a deviation from the true spirit of cricket, as he firmly backed his teammates’ decision to bat on and achieve their well-deserved milestones.
Ravichandran Ashwin slams England’s ‘double standards’ and demeaning behavior
Ashwin unleashed a strong critique of England’s conduct during the final hour of the Manchester Test, explicitly calling their actions a clear case of ‘double standards,’. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin did not mince words, stating, “Have you heard the term double standards? What is double standards? You shake hands and then you say I’m frustrated. You also don’t make a hundred, you also cry and go away,”. He passionately defended Jadeja and Sundar’s right to pursue their centuries, emphasizing the hard work they had put in throughout the day.
Ashwin challenged the notion that they should simply walk away from a milestone after batting bravely against England’s formidable bowling attack: “Since morning, he played your Archer, played your Matthew Hoggard, played Darren Gough, played Andrew Flintoff, played all your bowlers, whoever you guys gave, he played them, and now when it’s going towards a draw, both sides, and after putting in full hard work since morning he has reached here, and he should leave the hundred and walk away?”
Ashwin was particularly incensed by Stokes’ sarcastic comment to Jadeja about scoring a hundred against part-timer Harry Brook, directly rebutting it: “And what was your question? ‘You want to make a hundred against Harry Brook?’ No brother, he wants to make a hundred. Please bring Steve Harmison. Bring Flintoff. He didn’t say no. You’re giving bowling to Harry Brook, that’s your mistake, not ours,”
Ashwin advocates for player milestones and right to bat on
Further elaborating on his stance, Ashwin asserted that while captains can agree to an early draw if a result is no longer possible, England’s underlying motives for the early declaration were questionable. He identified two reasons for England’s desire to end the match early: “One, he didn’t want to tire his bowlers. Okay, fine. Second is: I’m frustrated, I’m not happy, you also shouldn’t be happy. You also shouldn’t make a hundred,”
Ashwin unequivocally dismissed the second point, stating it ‘doesn’t come under any rule,’ and argued that India was entirely within its rights to continue batting. He even expressed his personal preference: “Actually, if I was India, I would’ve stood and played the whole one hour. As a captain, I would have said, play all the fifteen overs.”
Ashwin concluded by strongly endorsing Jadeja and Sundar’s pursuit of their hundreds, reiterating. “That statement of his, You want to get a hundred against Harry Brook? Of course he does! These are Test runs. He wants to get it, and he deserves it,” His comments highlight a significant philosophical divide in how the game should be approached, emphasizing the importance of individual achievements when earned through hard graft.
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