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India's legendary off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin did not hold back in his criticism of England Test captain Ben Stokes' reaction after Ravindra Jadeja did not shake his hand to call it a draw when he was nearing century. Ashwin accused Stokes of having double standards. He was at his sarcastic best as he responded to Stokes telling Jadeja that he will hand the ball to Harry Brook if he wants to get to his milestone.
"Have you heard the term double standards? What is double standards? You shake hands and then you say I’m frustrated. You also don’t make a hundred, you also cry and go away," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel 'Ash ki Baat'.
"Since morning, he played your Archer, played your Matthew Hoggard, played Darren Gough, played Andrew Flintoff—played all your bowlers, whoever you guys gave, he played them—and now when it’s going towards a draw, both sides, and after putting in full hard work since morning he has reached here—and he should leave the hundred and walk away?
"And what was your question? 'You want to make a hundred against Harry Brook?' No brother, he wants to make a hundred. Please bring Steve Harmison. Bring Flintoff. He didn’t say no. You’re giving bowling to Harry Brook—that’s your mistake, not ours," said Ashwin.
Ashwin went on to say that had he been in the Indian dressing room he would have asked Jadeja and Washington Sundar to bat for the remaining overs as well instead of reaching their respective centuries.
"If both captains believe that the game cannot head towards the result, you both can shake hands after the mandatory overs and you can call it a draw. One captain wanted to draw the game. He wanted to close out," said the spin-bowling all-rounder.
"Why did he want to close out? Two things. He didn’t want to tire his bowlers. Okay, fine. Second is: I’m frustrated, I’m not happy, you also shouldn’t be happy. You also shouldn’t make a hundred.
"These are the two pointers. Second pointer doesn’t come under any rule. On the first pointer, India was on the right side. Actually, if I was India, I would’ve stood and played the whole one hour. As a captain, I would have said, play all the fifteen overs."
Ashwin pointed out that Jadeja and Sundar did the right thing to stick up to Stokes and achieve the three figures.
"That statement of his—You want to get a hundred against Harry Brook? Of course he does! These are Test runs. He wants to get it, and he deserves it," said the 38-year-old.
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