Team India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has hit back at former England skipper Michael Vaughan for his ‘underachiever’ remark on the Indian team. He expressed that India hasn’t won ICC trophies for years, but they have been one of the best travelling teams in Test cricket.
Former cricketer Michael Vaughan labelled Team India as underachievers. He expressed they haven’t found any success in major tournaments. His comments came after India lost the first Test against South Africa at Centurion. Ravichandran Ashwin has responded to Michael Vaughan’s remarks. In a video on his YouTube channel, Ashwin expressed the Indian team has produced great results in Test cricket, especially while travelling. He said,
“Michael Vaughan made a statement after the first Test that India is an underachieving team. Yes, we haven’t won ICC trophies for years. We call ourselves the powerhouses of the game. But the Test team has been one of the best travelling teams in the vicinity. We have seen many great results.”
“After he said that, so many experts from our country started questioning whether India is an underachieving team. Frankly, it made me laugh. Picture yourself. Just reverse the situation. SA batted first in this Test after winning the toss. If SA had batted first after winning the toss in Centurion, wasn’t there a chance they could have gotten all out by 65? Even India was staring at the barrel at 20/3, thanks to Virat and Shreyas’ partnership from there to save us,” he added.
I feel we criticise and nitpick too much: Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin further shared that he feels the critics of the Indian team tend to get into unnecessary details. He expressed that India has made some great comebacks, especially in Test cricket. In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Ravichandran Ashwin said,
“So, both cricket and Test cricket are differentiated by fine margins. In a country like India, where we talk cricket in every nook and cranny and consider the sport a religion, I feel we criticise and nitpick too much and get into unnecessary details. I think these are blinding us.”
“What we need to understand is that it is still a sport. The fact is that a quality cricket team with good mental fortitude and mental skills can make a comeback from wherever they are, and this Indian team has time and again proved it. Yes, we lost two WTC finals. I accept it wholeheartedly. But in the case of Test series, a comeback is always possible,” he added.
After losing the first Test against South Africa, India made a comeback in the second to draw the series. They defeated South Africa by seven wickets at the Newlands, Cape Town. This is India’s maiden win at the venue in Test cricket.
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