The retired spinner also issued a clarification.
The Indian team was on the receiving end of backlash following a subpar performance, which saw them lose the Boxing Day Test against Australia and go down 1-2 in the five-match Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) with one more game left to go.
On the final day of the match, Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal staged a fightback by stitching a crucial 88-run stand for the fourth wicket. The duo displayed tremendous grit and composure to help the visitors stay in the contest and it seemed like India would be able to walk away with a draw in Melbourne.
To laud the two left-handers, former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took to his social media handle on X (formerly Twitter) and praised the duo’s hard work.
Ashwin wrote, “Good leaders emerge when they show resolve for a scrap.”
However, certain users in the comments section started to troll Ashwin, alleging that the off-spinner is being necessarily vague and hinted that he took a dig at Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after they got dismissed cheaply in the second innings.
Ravichandran Ashwin soon issued a clarification, posting that it wasn’t meant for people who own fan clubs along with laughing emojis.
Speaking about the match, while Jaiswal and Pant looked solid in the middle, Rishabh Pant soon gifted his wicket to Travis Head which triggered a collapse in the final session of the match. From being 121/3, India lost their final seven wickets for just 34 runs.
India’s prospects of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final have now taken a significant hit. Their PCT has declined to 52.78, while Australia’s PCT has increased to 61.46, making them the frontrunners to secure a spot in the final, scheduled to take place at Lord’s Cricket Ground in 2025.
ALSO READ: Travis Head’s ‘Finger in Hole’ Celebration After Dismissing Rishabh Pant Goes Viral [WATCH]
India will need to win the next Test in Sydney to retain the BGT and keep their chances alive to qualify for the WTC Final.
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