Faced Racism In Sydney Earlier Too, Needs To Be Dealt With Iron Fist: Ravichandran Ashwin

Indian veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has condemned the racism incident within the stadium that has encapsulated the ongoing Sydney Test against Australia. The Australian crowds have come under the scanner in the last two days for racially abusing the Indian players, including Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah. However, Ravichandran Ashwin remains no stranger to it, revealing that he faced it earlier too.

The fourth day of the third Test saw the play get halted minutes after Mohammed Siraj complained of abuse from a section of Sydney crowd. The cops at the stand immediately got rid of those spectators and Cricket Australia apologized for the same. Former Indian and Australian cricketers hugely condemned the incident, mentioning that such things shouldn’t have any place in sport and the incidents must be dealt with strictly.

Ravichandran Ashwin claimed that they faced racism earlier in Sydney as well and that one must take it head-on. The 34-year old, who toured Australia for the first time in 2011, admitted that he hardly knew what racism was; however, he understood that people belittled him and others would join the laugh too.

“In 2011, I didn’t know what racism is and how you are made to feel small. And people also join the laugh, Have faced racism in Sydney earlier; needs to be dealt with iron fist. ” Ashwin said in the post-match press conference.

“Adelaide and Melbourne were not as bad, but like I said this has been a continuous thing in Sydney, I have dealt with it in the past, the fans here tend to get nasty, I do not know why they do it, unless and until it is dealt with, people don’t find the necessity to look it in a different way.

“I was surprised to see some section of the crowd going on with it and they were not pulled up for it, it was surprising to see, this issue had to be dealt with, disappointing is a very mild word for this issue, I must say.” Added Ravi Ashwin.

Ravichandran Ashwin’s underwhelming show in Sydney:

Meanwhile, Ravichandran Ashwin could not produce as magnificent bowling performance as equivalent to those in the first two Tests. The Australian batsmen adopted an aggressive approach against the veteran off-spinner that enabled him to conjure two wickets in the match. At the end of day four, India was 98/2 and need another 309 runs to win the Test.

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