Anirudh Srikkanth defended his father Kris Srikkanth after Ravichandran Ashwin criticised his remark on Harshit Rana.
Anirudh Srikkanth defended his father, former India cricketer Kris Srikkanth, after Ravichandran Ashwin took a swipe at the latter’s remark regarding Harshit Rana’s repeated inclusion in India’s squads. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Anirudh claimed Ashwin’s comment was unfair and even hypocritical, reigniting the ongoing debate around the player selection issue.
Srikkanth had earlier stated that Harshit Rana has been a constant “yes-man” to India head coach Gautam Gambhir, suggesting that the young pacer’s place in the squad was influenced by his rapport with Gambhir. The remark did not sit well with the Indian head coach, who, without naming anyone, described the criticism as “shameful.”
Ashwin also weighed in on the controversy, indirectly responding to Srikkanth’s comments. The veteran spinner defended Rana, cautioning that personal attacks could damage a player’s morale and confidence.
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Anirudh slams Ashwin’s remark
Reacting to Ashwin’s statement, Anirudh said, “I just want to ask, ‘Ashwin, why bro? What did we do to you?’ It seemed a bit unfair. A couple of years back, when you (Ashwin) mocked the entire RCB bowling attack, we laughed along. Were you not aware of the fact that they have a family too?”
He further added, “It just seems a bit hypocritical. Anyway, you and me, we will not dwell on that. Everybody has their opinion and perception. That is the beauty of it. Just to the viewers, in this channel, you are going to get a strong and biased opinion. No changes there.”
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Srikkanth has always been outspoken, says Anirudh
Anirudh also highlighted his father’s fearless attitude, pointing out that Srikkanth has never shied away from speaking his mind since his playing days.
“Chika (Srikkanth) has been that way since 1983, when he smoked a cigarette at the Lord’s balcony. He hasn’t been scared of anyone since. I’m not expecting Chika to change. Sometimes it is borderline cringe, I know it. But as much as possible, we try to keep that father-son banter as normal as possible. Thank you to all the viewers for the support,” Anirudh said.
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