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India's legendary spinner Ravichandran Ashwin isn't happy with England captain Ben Stokes' choice of words on debate around injury substitutions in Test cricket. Ashwin labeled Stokes' remarks as both disrespectful and lacking empathy and feels the star all-rounder's words were thoughtless and that he should have been more mindful of the situation. This all stems from an incident in the Manchester Test where Rishabh Pant was hit on the toe by a delivery from Chris Woakes, an injury so severe he had to be carted off the field.
Using words like ‘joke’ and ‘ridiculous’ isn't respectful: R Ashwin slams Ben Stokes
The incident sparked a wider conversation among cricket experts about introducing injury replacements in Test matches, a debate fueled by India losing a key batter at a crucial time. While some expressed concerns about the potential for misuse, India's head coach Gautam Gambhir publicly supported the idea. Ashwin also weighed in, raising questions about Pant's injury and echoing Gambhir's sentiments. However, when Stokes was asked for his opinion on the matter, he dismissed the idea as a 'joke'. This flippant response is what drew Ashwin's ire, leading to his strong condemnation of the England skipper.
“I want to talk about another imperfection in this series. There's a Tamil saying that loosely translates to 'Your karma will affect you almost instantly'. What you sow is what you reap. I am a big fan of Stokes' cricketing abilities and his attitude. But he can think and then reply. All I'm saying is: show a little empathy for the other team. Using words like ‘joke’ and ‘ridiculous’ isn't respectful. Think before you speak. Karma hits instantly,” Ashwin said on his YouTube show Ash Ki Baat.
Ashwin, who signed off from Tests with 537 wickets under his belt, also commented on Chris Woakes' courageous appearance in the final Test, an act of grit that he felt was worthy of respect. At the close of Day 4, with England having lost the crucial wickets of Joe Root and Jacob Bethell, India had a clear opportunity to wrap up the innings. A fiery spell from Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna quickly dismantled England's lower order, and when Josh Tongue, the number 10 batsman, was clean bowled, all attention turned to the English balcony.
In a moment of pure determination, a visibly injured Woakes, with his dislocated left arm in a sling and wrapped under his sweater, walked out to bat. The crowd at The Oval rose to their feet, saluting his sheer valor and his willingness to fight for his team despite the obvious pain.
“Chris Woakes walked in with his shoulder tucked inside his sweater. And was ready to give his life to win the game for his team, and almost did it too. He had the game awareness to run and give the strike to Atkinson. Hats off to Chris Woakes. Remarkable attitude, and a remarkable way to step out for your team, and put your body on the line,” Ashwin concluded.
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