‘How can anyone hate Vaibhav Sooryavanshi?’ - Ravichandran Ashwin defends teenager after Dambulla altercation

Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has come out in support of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, questioning the criticism directed at the youngster following his involvement in a physical altercation with Sri Lankan players in Dambulla. Ashwin stressed that there is a clear difference between constructive criticism and outright hatred, urging fans and experts not to judge the teenager too harshly based on a single incident.

The left-handed batter was involved in the altercation after India’s Super Over defeat, an episode that sparked widespread debate on social media and among cricket followers.

“All we can do is talk with hate. And what happens then? If the person we are hating eventually reads those things, it might affect them a little. But what do we achieve by talking like that? That is why I am saying this. How can you hate Vaibhav Sooryavanshi?”  Ashwin said on Ash Ki Baat.

“Tell me, how can anyone hate him? And everyone is saying, ‘This kid should have shown maturity. He should have spoken with more maturity.’ Have we forgotten that we too were children once? Have we forgotten that there are children like that in our own families? This is a very dangerous trend,” he added.

Ashwin questioned the reaction to the incident, arguing that excessive criticism of Sooryavanshi served little purpose and could negatively affect a young player. The former India spinner urged people to distinguish between constructive criticism and personal attacks.

“What is criticism? If today you are hosting the show and I tell you, ‘Vimal bhai, I didn’t like the hosting so much today. Maybe we can pay attention here. Maybe this question could have been asked differently. Maybe this point could have been handled differently.’ That is criticism. Criticism means finding a path for someone to move forward and improve. But what is hatred? Hatred is when somebody has achieved something, and we keep attacking them with words. We keep trying to pull them down. That does not happen,” said Ashwin.

Sooryavanshi could be in line for his international debut in the upcoming T20I series against Ireland, and Ashwin said the teenager should be allowed to enjoy the game without carrying the burden of expectations. The former India spinner urged fans and critics to give the young batter space to learn and grow, emphasising that early setbacks or controversies should not define a player’s career.

“Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is a cricketer. He performs for us. He is an entertainer with immense skill. Forget his family, his well-wishers, his fans and the team management for a moment. As a lover of the sport, I just want him to enjoy cricket and play without pressure. After playing cricket for so many years, I’ve realised that playing freely, without baggage, is one of the hardest things to do. As long as we can give him that freedom, let him enjoy himself. Whether he succeeds or fails doesn’t matter. The way he plays is a spectacle. Let the kid enjoy himself,” said Ashwin.