In a recent turn of events surrounding cricketers, ex-Indian cricketer L Sivaramakrishnan found himself in the spotlight following some divisive comments he made about Ravichandran Ashwin, the noted off-spinner. These remarks, aired on social media platform X, ignited discussions on Ashwin's bowling prowess.
The conversation on the platform began innocently enough with Sivaramakrishnan discussing the World Cup commentary team and pointing out the absence of a genuine spinner. However, it took a controversial turn when the subject shifted towards India's performance against spin. Sivaramakrishnan opined that Ashwin's impressive track record was majorly due to Indian pitches being tailored to his style of bowling. He didn't stop there but went on to assert that on such pitches, practically anyone could achieve success. He also labeled Ashwin as the "most unfit cricketer" and criticized his fielding capabilities.
To everyone's surprise, Ashwin, who usually remains above the fray, reached out to Sivaramakrishnan directly over a call. During this interaction, Ashwin delved into discussions around his bowling action with the former cricketer. Sivaramakrishnan revealed that Ashwin was particularly taken aback by the harsh reactions from netizens and expressed his astonishment at the intense backlash faced by the former cricketer for his comments.
"Ravi Ashwin was nice enough to call me just a while ago to discuss his bowling action, he was as shocked with the venom of the trolls as I was. Also clarified that the people involved are in NO WAY connected to him. GOOD LUCK @ashwinravi99. Do us proud," tweeted Sivaramakrishanan.
This entire episode comes at a time when Ashwin is preparing with the Indian squad for the imminent World Cup. Adding another layer of intrigue to the saga is Ashwin's own hint that this World Cup might be his swansong in the prestigious tournament for India.
As the cricket community waits for the World Cup to begin, this incident underscores the passionate discussions and emotions that the sport evokes, both on and off the field. It remains to be seen if the controversy affects Ashwin's performance or if he uses it as fuel to further showcase his skills on the global stage.
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