'We are encouraging them to do more and more stuff' - Ravichandran Ashwin slams pitch critics

India spin spearhead Ravichandran Ashwin has hit back at the pitch critics after playing an integral role in his team’s thumping 3-1 win over England in the recently-concluded series. England started the series on a stunning note by winning the first Test by 227 runs before India bounced back to win the remaining three games.

The hosts thoroughly outplayed the visitors in all the three games to clinch the series as well as book their place in the final of the ICC World Test Championship. The England batsmen looked completely clueless against India’s spinners as Ashwin picked up 32 wickets while Axar Patel picked up 27 wickets. No other bowler managed to pick up more than 18 wickets.

The Virat Kohli-led side won the second Test in Chennai by 317 runs to draw level in the series. In the following game, India beat the visitors by ten wickets inside two days before winning the fourth game by an innings and 25 runs. But India’s thumping win has been marred by the criticism surrounding the pitch. Several former England players expressed their displeasure over the pitches used for the last three Tests instead of criticising the English batsmen and giving credit to India.

This is a very good Indian cricket team: Ravichandran Ashwin

As the English cricket fraternity and several other overseas players continue to whine over the pitches, Ravichandran Ashwin has shut them up with a fitting comment. The star spinner stated that the latest series win proves the quality of the current Indian team. He also agreed with Sunil Gavaskar’s recent comment about the critics in which the former India skipper had urged the Indian cricket fraternity not to give importance to overseas players and media.

“This series win is a testament to the fact that this is a very good Indian cricket team, that is all I would like to say. The criticism around the pitch, all that, the other day, Sunny sir was saying something that makes complete sense,” Ravichandran Ashwin said in a virtual press conference.

“Only because you are giving attention to people who are making a mockery of cricket, I think we are encouraging them to do more and more stuff. I would like to see one day when there is a lot of grass on the pitch somewhere else in the world, our Indian commentators talking about it and then putting an Instagram post, I would like to see that and how the global media reacts to that, then we will know, who is at fault,” he added.