Ravichandran Ashwin blasts Toxic Fans for ‘Character Assassination’ of Gautam Gambhir

Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin opened up about the growing negativity surrounding Indian cricket on social media. The 39-year-old backed head coach Gautam Gambhir’s message and urged fans to stop attacking individuals, reminding everyone that criticism should never cross into personal abuse.

Ashwin’s response came at a time when the head coach has been facing criticism after India lost the home Test series 0-2 to South Africa. The Men in Blue had also suffered a 0-3 whitewash in the Test series against New Zealand last year. Fans questioned his methods and even demanded a separate red-ball coach.

We Often Get Into This Pelting of Stones at Characters - Ravichandran Ashwin

Speaking to RevSportz, Ravichandran Ashwin said that people are judging players or coaches after only a few games. Ashwin stated that sharing opinions is fine, but criticism should stay connected to cricketing reasons. He added that supporting one cricketer does not mean hating another.

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"There was a debate on whether Riyan Parag should be included in the ODI setup. It should never be about whether Riyan Parag is good or bad. It should be about what merits his selection and what doesn't work in his favour," Ashwin said.

"But we often get into this pelting of stones at characters, and what I'm really concerned about is character assassination. Sport should never get down to that. And I repeat again: a fan of an individual doesn't have to be a hater of another," he added.

Why Hate Prasidh Krishna or Harshit Rana? - Ravichandran Ashwin

Ashwin said that young bowlers like Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana become easy targets. He said that the pacers were heavily criticized for weeks, and they proved their ability with strong performances in the ODI series against South Africa.

"At some stage, if we make a fan view the game like a movie where you have to hate the other person, then we are not doing something right. How does it make sense for you to be a fan of a certain player and then hate Prasidh Krishna or Harshit Rana for criticism?" Ashwin stated.

"If Harshit Rana hasn’t bowled well, I might say why that happened. And if he does well tomorrow, great — that’s not my problem. It’s not about who has done well and why I should be right."

That's Where More Responsibility Is Required - Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin said that players, experts, and fans all share the responsibility of keeping discussions responsible. He added that words can affect people, and the goal should be to reduce that harm.

"But it's also up to individuals and those narrating the game to do so responsibly. If there are people impacted by what we say — if five out of 10 are affected — we should try to make it six or seven, so the remaining few can be handled. That’s where more responsibility is required."

After losing the Test series, India bounced back to win the ODI series 2-1. The Men in Blue will take on South Africa in the first T20I of the five-match series on Tuesday, December 9, in Cuttack. Both teams will use the series to fine-tune their squads and settle combinations ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Also read: Suryakumar Yadav sides with BCCI, orders India teammates to play domestic cricket