Image: Ravichandran Ashwin's controversial remarks sparked controversy / © Hindustan Times
After announcing his retirement from the Indian team after the 3rd Test match, R Ashwin stirred controversy with a tweet on December 30, following India’s heavy defeat to Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The senior off-spinner posted, “Good leaders emerge when they show resolve for a scrap”, which many interpreted as a veiled criticism of Rohit Sharma’s poor batting form, especially given that the Indian captain had averaged just 6 in the ongoing series.
The tweet quickly gained traction on social media, with fans speculating that Ashwin was referring to Rohit’s captaincy during the tough Test series. In response to the backlash, Ashwin issued a clarification, stating that his remark was not aimed at Rohit, but rather directed towards young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Despite the clarification, Ashwin later hinted that his comment could have been meant for Rohit as well.
The controversy comes amid a series of disappointing performances for India, with Rohit and other senior players failing to meet expectations, contributing to the team’s deficit in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.