Image: Ashwin, angered by a fan wrongly crediting Rohit Sharma for his achievements, responded sharply / © Sportstiger
India’s Ravichandran Ashwin recently received the prestigious Padma Shri award, making him the second cricketer from Tamil Nadu to be honored with this civilian distinction. However, Ashwin’s moment was somewhat overshadowed by a fan’s comment on social media, where they credited Rohit Sharma for his success.
The fan suggested that Ashwin should thank Rohit Sharma for giving him opportunities. In response, Ashwin gave a sharp retort, calling the fan “mad” (Dey paithiyam).
Ashwin had announced his retirement during the 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy after being included in just one of the first three Tests. This led to speculation regarding his decision, but Ashwin later explained that he needed a break and had lost his creativity.
He emphasized that he wanted to respect the sanctity of the dressing room and avoid engaging in the toxic fan wars on social media. Ashwin’s retirement was made with no formal announcement, and he described the decision as instinctive, indicating that not all endings need to be dramatic or filled with speculation.