Ravichandran Ashwin
The world of social media is unforgiving, where opinions form and change in a blink. Indian cricket’s T20I captain, Hardik Pandya, has recently become its latest victim.
Pandya has found himself under intense criticism for his remarks after India’s series loss to West Indies. During the ODI series, he had casually mentioned that he wouldn’t mind embracing uniqueness in the face of a series loss after 17 years. However, his tone shifted after West Indies clinched the T20I series 3-2.
“In hindsight, one series here or there doesn’t matter but the commitment to the goal is important,” Pandya stated after the concluding T20I match in Florida.
Differing Views: The Approach to T20 World Cup
While Pandya urged not to read too much into this series loss with the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA on the distant horizon, his teammate Ravichandran Ashwin held a contrasting view.
“I don’t think it is too early (to talk about T20 World Cup),” Ashwin asserted on his YouTube channel, implying that the event’s preparation should be ongoing.
Navigating Challenges: West Indies Series and Young Players
Ashwin acknowledged the disappointment of losing a series to West Indies but highlighted the challenges of touring in the Caribbean islands, especially for young players.
He further added, “There are plenty of positives from this T20I series. It is very easy to criticise the team on social media since they lost to a team that didn’t qualify for the last T20 World Cup. They haven’t qualified for the upcoming 50-over World Cup as well. I want to give a piece of information to you guys.”
“I am not talking, backing, or supporting anybody. All of these are secondary. As a youngster, if you are going to the West Indies, there will be some challenges. In all countries, there will be some innate secrets. The local players know these things more than visiting players. Especially if the players are young,” Ashwin explained, shedding light on the intricacies of playing in unfamiliar conditions.
Credits to the Opponent
He went on to credit West Indies for their spirited series win, acknowledging their passionate support for cricket despite recent struggles in major tournaments.
“(WI fans) Credit to West Indies. They didn’t qualify for both the T20I and ODI World Cups. Their entire island looked disappointed because of this. They spoke about the rich legacy they once had. In fact, a taxi driver told me how intensely they follow the game. They follow the game with insane passion even today,” he added.
Learning from Loss: A Lesson from MS Dhoni
Citing legendary Indian cricketer MS Dhoni, Ashwin shared a vital insight, “When you lose, you learn so many things. But people who learn even when they win, will become champions.”
Ashwin then went on to highlight the performances of players like Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, and the opening combination of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill. He also addressed a critical concern for Team India’s T20 side—the lack of batting depth.
As the cricket world contemplates the lessons from India’s T20I series against West Indies, the voices of Pandya and Ashwin reflect the complex nature of performance evaluation, preparation, and the resilience required in the ever-evolving world of cricket.
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