"No Need To Show Aggression Like This": R Ashwin Questions England's Bazball
"I have my reservations about the bazball theory. There is a small line between aggressive cricket and foolish cricket. Ben Stokes used to take on fast bowlers and hit those shots that was caught at mid-off or mid-on. Why? When a batter can play an innings like that at Headingley in the Ashes, what is the need to do all this?" Ashwin said on YouTube channel ' Ash ki Baat '.
"If you want to play aggressive cricket, pull a back-of-length ball, hit a drive on the up, like Zak Crawley plays at times. I know that is still a shot of high risk but you can play aggressive cricket like that. This ramp shot, reverse sweeps, there is no need to show aggression like this, if you have the pedigree," he added.
Ashwin called time on his international career in December last year. The former Indian spinner announced hanged up his boots following the third Test match against Australia in Brisbane. Ashwin made the announcement in the post-match press conference along with skipper Rohit Sharma after the game. He played the second match of the five-Test series in Australia but was replaced by Ravindra Jadeja for the third game.
Ashwin retired from the game as the second highest wicket-taker for India in Tests with 537 scalps in 106 games, leaving him only behind Anil Kumble (619 wickets).
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Indian Express
14 minutes ago
- Indian Express
‘He should have asked his bowlers to bowl underarm like Greg Chappell': Ashwin takes a dig at Ben Stokes' draw offer and sledging Jadeja
The final day of the fourth Test between India and England in Manchester saw its share of controversies as England captain Ben Stokes showed frustration over Indian batsmen Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar refusing a handshake and draw offer with one hour remaining. While Jadeja and Sundar stitched an unbroken 202-run fifth-wicket partnership to end England's hopes of victory, Stokes targeted them verbally, asking Jadeja: 'You want to get a Test hundred against Harry Brook?' With Stokes opting to bowl part-timers Harry Brook and Joe Root in the mandatory last hour, former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin sarcastically suggested Stokes should have gone further. 'I am actually disappointed. He (Ben Stokes) should have asked his bowlers to bowl underarm like Greg Chappell. It would have looked nice. Please don't talk about the spirit of cricket, sportsmanship. This is ridiculous,' Ashwin said on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat. 'What is the rule? If both captains believe the game cannot head towards a result, they can agree to a draw. One captain wanted to close it out. Why? First, he didn't want to tire his bowlers. Second, 'I am frustrated. You should also not be happy.' The second point isn't in the rules. According to the first point, India was right. If I were captain, I would have played all 15 overs.' While Stokes cited protecting his frontline bowlers from fatigue and injury, the incident drew reactions from across the cricketing world, including Indian coach Gautam Gambhir, who defended India's right to bat. At the start of the final hour, Jadeja was on 89 and Sundar on 80. Both went on to complete centuries—Sundar's maiden Test hundred and Jadeja's fifth. Ashwin called Stokes' behavior 'double standards.' 'Double standards. They defined it in the last ten minutes today. You're frustrated you can't win, so you fight with your players, punch the ball, do whatever. But by offering a handshake, you're saying, 'I'm frustrated, so you also don't get a hundred. You also go crying.' How is this fair? He's battled since morning against Archer, Hoggard, Gough, Flintoff. Should he leave his century? Your question was, 'Do you want a century against Harry Brook?' No, he wants a century. Bring Steve Harmison, bring Flintoff! They wouldn't say no. You're bowling Harry Brook—that's your mistake, not ours.' Stokes exchanged words with Jadeja, while England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett also sledged the Indian pair. Crawley was heard telling Sundar: 'F***ing hell Washi, get on with it,' with Jofra Archer adding: 'If you wanted a hundred, you should have batted like it earlier.' Sundar reached his maiden Test ton before the teams agreed to a draw after five overs. Ashwin mocked Crawley's comments, declaring the result an 'Indian win': 'Zak Crawley told him, 'If you wanted 100, you should have batted quicker.' That's his choice. You want quick runs and get out at 70? That's your game. Zak Crawley or Ben Stokes, if you were batting, would you leave your hundred for the 'spirit of the game'? I feel like laughing. It's crazy. That's why I say this isn't a draw, it's an Indian win.'
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First Post
14 minutes ago
- First Post
Under-fire Ben Stokes gets backing from Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott: 'Very easy to have a pop at him'
England batting greats Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott have thrown their weights behind the Test team captain Ben Stokes as he faces criticism for venting frustration at India declining his initial offer for a draw on Day 5 in Manchester Test. read more Former England batting greats Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott have come out in support of embattled Ben Stokes as the England captain faces accusations of behaving like a "spoiled kid" over his outburst after India declined his offer for a draw on Sunday in the Manchester Test. Stokes offered a handshake to Ravindra Jadeja with 15 overs left in Day 5's play as a draw looked like the only possibility in the match, but the Indian all-rounder, who was batting on 89, declined the handshake. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Soon after, Jadeja went on to hit his fifth Test hundred as Washington Sundar completed his maiden century. India eventually agreed to a draw after both player completed their milestones. Later, Stokes defended his decision by claiming that he didn't want his bowlers to suffer any injury, but faced criticism from former cricketers, including Nasser Hussain, who called out Harry Brook's 'silly' bowling. Pietersen, Trott speak in support of Stokes But Stokes has also found some support from former England cricketers, including Pietersen and Trott. Pietersen wrote on social media that Stokes should be allowed to display his emotion and was well within his rights as the team had toiled hard in the field and a result was not possible. '2 days fielding and no result on the cards - you WANT to get off the field! You cannot have a pop at Ben Stokes for his frustration. Very easy to have a pop at him when you're sitting in your lounge watching. You're NOT in the battle. Leave the men in the ring to be emotional,' Pietersen wrote on X. 2 days fielding and no result on the cards - you WANT to get off the field! You cannot have a pop at Ben Stokes for his frustration. Very easy to have a pop at him when you're sitting in your lounge watching. You're NOT in the battle. Leave the men in the ring to be emotional. — Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) July 28, 2025 Trott said that Stokes offering a draw when two batters were nearing a hundred is a normal tradition in England when a draw becomes the most likely outcome of a match. 'I am not sure if it was necessary, but the common practice — certainly here in England — is that if you're offered the opportunity to finish the game early, it's usually more about the game situation than personal milestones. From Ben Stokes' perspective, no personal milestone comes ahead of the team's goal. In this case, India's goal was to secure a draw, and they achieved that,' Trott said on JioHotstar. 'So for England, the expectation was that India would shake hands and walk off with 80 not out — that would normally suffice. But I can also understand the other side. For someone like Washington Sundar, who has batted so well, giving up the chance to score a debut hundred is not easy. You never know when another opportunity will come. So, I understand both viewpoints. England are probably a little frustrated but that's natural. What this does, though, is set things up nicely for the next Test. It's going to be spicy, and I'm looking forward to it.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Catch Day 1 of the fifth Test of India's tour of England on 31st July, live from 3:30 PM, on JioHotstar.
Time of India
25 minutes ago
- Time of India
'What's with the English?' — Karthik, Vaughan weigh in on Stokes vs Jadeja-Washington handshake drama
England captain Ben Stokes speaks with Ravindra Jadeja in Manchester. (Getty Images) NEW DELHI: Tempers flared and opinions clashed long after India and England shook hands at Old Trafford, as the handshake that didn't happen earlier became the main talking point following the drawn fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. With India recovering from 0/2 in their second innings to end Day 5 on 425/4, centuries from Ravindra Jadeja (107*) and Washington Sundar (101*) helped them not only save the Test but dominate the final day. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Yet, what caught the world's attention was the decision by Jadeja and Sundar to deny Ben Stokes ' offer of an early draw with an hour to go — a move that irked the England captain, who responded with sarcasm: 'You want to make a hundred against Harry [Brook]?' Poll Was Day 5 of the fourth Test more about India's resilience or England's missed opportunities? India's resilience England's missed opportunities That didn't sit well with former Indian wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik. 'What's with the English?' he asked during a post-match discussion with Michael Vaughan on Cricbuzz. 'At Lord's, they didn't want to come to bat, didn't want to field after a point. And now here, they wanted to shake hands early. How does that sit well with you?' India stay alive, England frustrated after draw; handshake drama at Old Trafford and more Vaughan, to his credit, took a measured stance: 'Oh, if I'd have been India, I'd have done exactly the same. You've fought the entire day, taken blows, worn bouncers from Archer. You get to 85, you stay out there. Shubman's smile from the balcony said it all.' Karthik continued, 'Look, at lunch, India were down and out. People thought they'd be rolled over. But Gill and KL steadied things, then Jadeja and Washington finished it brilliantly. Even the lowest scorer after ducks — KL Rahul — got 90!' Vaughan agreed, noting how England, too, wouldn't have acted differently: 'If we had a young player on 85, no way would we have come off. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Swelling and internal bleeding in the brain, help this baby Donate For Health Donate Now Undo We'd have said, 'Get your hundred, then we'll shake hands.' That's just the truth.' Gautam Gambhir fiery press conference: Slams critics, big update on Jasprit Bumrah, Karun vs Sai He even found humour in the moment: 'I will say this — Harry Brook might need to work on his front shoulder if he wants to keep bowling off-spin!' With the series standing at 2-1 in England's favour, the Oval is next. But thanks to Day 5's stubborn resistance and the post-match back-and-forth, the fire has been well and truly lit for the finale. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
