Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin ripped into the English cricket team for their behaviour during the Manchester Test. The incident occurred during the last hour of play on Sunday when England skipper Ben Stokes, realising that his team could no longer secure a win, asked Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar to call off the match.
The two left-handers, then unbeaten on 89 each, had batted through the day and, with centuries in sight, refused to leave the field. That, however, triggered the English camp, who began poking the Indian batters with snide remarks. Stokes reportedly asked Jadeja if he really wanted to get his hundred against the likes of Harry Brook and Ben Duckett.
Meanwhile, Zak Crawley told Jadeja that if he wanted a century, he should’ve batted faster.
The Indian batters, in reply, handled the situation with grace and smiles. Jadeja reportedly told the English players that the call to continue batting wasn’t his but was taken by coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Shubman Gill.
Eventually, both Jadeja and Sundar reached their respective hundreds, and the match was called off with a handshake. But the episode left a sour taste in the mouths of the Indian team and its fans.
R Ashwin rips into Ben Stokes’ ‘double standards’:
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said, “Have you heard of the term double standards? Have you ever heard of it? The definition of double standards has been shown by them (England) in the last 10 minutes.”
About Ben Stokes handshake gesture to Jadeja, Ashwin said, “You’re shaking hands and saying I’m the one who’s frustrated, then you also don’t score a hundred. You also cry and leave. How is this possible? You are saying I am unhappy… He has played all your bowlers. And now he has gone towards the draw. And he has worked hard since morning and reached here. And should he leave 100 and go? And what was your question? You want to make a 100 against Harry Brook. No, brother. He wants to make a 100. Please bring Steve Harmisson. Bring Andrew Flintoff. He didn’t refuse. You are bowling to Harry Brook. It’s your fault. It’s not our fault.”
Ashwin even went on to add that Stokes should have continued with harry Brook for the next 15 overs in order to show the spirit of the game.
“My question is as an international team captain who understands the spirit of cricket completely and you are the brand ambassador for the spirit of cricket, you should have bowled 15 overs with Harry Brook. It would have been a great advertisement for the spirit of cricket. It would have been an amazing advertisement. ” he added
Taking Zack Crawley on his radar, Ashwin said, “And what was Zach Crawley’s point? “Is this how you want to get a 100? You should have batted faster to get a 100.” Why? It is his wish. When to make it, when not to make it. If you want to make it fast, make it and get out. It is your game.”