Ravichandran Ashwin mentions Harshit Rana’s parents in fresh statement after Gautam Gambhir’s attack
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Former spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has now turned a full 360 degrees as he hailed Harshit Rana and asked for the stoppage of below-the-belt attacks since they have a grave impact on the player's persona. Though he has not challenged criticism, he has severely protested against the selling of negativity.
After Ravichandran Ashwin, as well as former Indian selector Kris Srikkanth, started criticizing the Indian pacer Harshit Rana for being consistent throughout all of India's squads in all three formats of the game, head coach Gautam Gambhir came to his rescue.
The coach slammed Srikkanth when he came to address the media after the conclusion of the Test series against the West Indies. He clearly barred them from speaking anything in order to gather more views on YouTube.
“I have always reiterated that no player should be attacked below the belt" - Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin too had questioned Harshit Rana's presence in the Indian team and even asked the selectors, based on what terms do they pick the Indian pacer over some more deserving players?. However, now he has voiced a different opinion over the issue, claiming that there's no place for personal attacks in sport.
“I have always reiterated that no player should be attacked below the belt. When the attack becomes too personal, the genre changes."
"I would like to talk about Sanjay Manjrekar, who has criticised me throughout my career. But I have never held any grudge against him. What they say might be right or wrong, as long as the criticism doesn't get personal, I am fine with it,” Ravichandran Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
"Negativity sells these days. We should avoid consuming such content,” Ashwin says no to offensive content
Despite having made a criticism with a slight tone of mockery earlier, Ravichandran Ashwin cleared his stance this time around that criticism should never get personal, as it often has an adverse effect on the mindset of the cricketer as well as their family.
“Assume Harshit sees the reel in which he is being harshly criticised, and he is about to play a match for India; wouldn't he be shattered by this? And if his parents and friends see it, what will be their mindset?" he opined.
"We can definitely criticise their skill, their style of cricket and the trade that they are plying. But it shouldn't get personal. It may be funny once or twice, but it shouldn't be a running theme."
"The reason they are doing this is that there is an audience for it. Negativity sells these days. They sell whatever is in demand. We should avoid consuming such content,” he added.
"My request through this channel has always been to see cricket as cricket," said Ashwin
The pacer has been on the radar of the Indian selectors ever since he won the IPL back in 2024 with the Kolkata Knight Riders, mentored by current Indian coach Gautam Gambhir. After previous criticism, Ravichandran Ashwin now sympathizes with Rana, as it now seems to him that the trolling can affect anyone's morale.
“Everyone's targeting Harshit Rana left, right and centre. Let me ask you one thing: if the same Harshit performs well next year, will the same people put him on the same pedestal and celebrate him?” asked Ashwin.
"I am certainly disappointed. My request through this channel has always been to see cricket as cricket. Don't buy or consume trash talk because that well could be your friend, your family, your son, your brother, your sister," he added.
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Ravichandran Ashwin Harshit Rana Gautam Gambhir India tour of Australia India vs Australia Kris Srikkanth
