Senior India off-spinner R Ashwin is gearing up for his participation in the upcoming World Cup 2023, the warm-up matches for which have begun while the main tournament will kick off this Thursday.
India’s first match is on October 8 against Australia in Chennai, where Ashwin, being a local player and on a surface which is likely to assist spin-bowling, is likely to play ahead of Shardul Thakur at the number 8 slot.
Recently, the 37-year-old gave a brilliant reply to a Pakistani fan who tried to troll him by reminding Shahid Afridi’s two sixes to his bowling during the 2014 Asia Cup.
During a India vs Pakistan match in the 2014 Asia Cup in Mirpur, Afridi won Pakistan the game by smashing two sixes to Ashwin when Pakistan needed 9 runs in 4 balls.
R Ashwin schools a Pakistani fan with a graceful reply to a troll tweet
Last Saturday, Ashwin was engaging in a Twitter conversation with his friend and commentator Dinesh Karthik when a Pakistan cricket fan mocked Ashwin by recalling Afridi’s two sixes to him from the 2014 Asia Cup.
“Shahid Afridi Still remembers those two sixes,” a fan, with Twitter handle @sawalmeer, commented under Ashwin’s tweet.
Without taking offense to this comment, R Ashwin gave a very graceful and matured reply by hailing Shahid Afridi for his hitting abilities.
The off-spinner responded: “Those were really good shots man. Really admired him as a great ball striker”
This reply from the veteran cricketer got him praise from fans of both countries while the troll made a u-turn and thanked Ashwin for the reply.
Meanwhile, R Ashwin, aged 37, has hinted that this World Cup 2023 could be his last World Cup in any format.
Ashwin said: “All I do is turn the ball both ways and I feel I can already do that. It is all about doing subtle variations and dealing with pressure in these sort of tournaments. Pressure is of paramount importance for most players in these tournament, but how you deal with it dictate how the tournament goes for yourself and the team. As far as I am concerned, being in a good space and enjoying the game will hold me in good stead. I have kept saying this, it could well be my last World Cup for India.”
