Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has reacted to the criticism of his performances following his return to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fold for the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season.
Ashwin said he has never been bothered by trolls, while also stressing that he is open to constructive feedback.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin, along with cricket analyst Prasanna Agoram, reflected on what has been a difficult start to the season for CSK.
Ashwin was signed by CSK for Rs 9.75 crore in the mega auction, marking his return to the Chennai-based franchise for the first time since 2015. However, he hasn’t lived up to the expectations till now, having claimed five wickets in as many matches at an economy rate of 9.88.
In CSK’s last fixture against Punjab Kings at Mullanpur, Ashwin was taken to the cleaners during the powerplay, conceding 21 runs. He returned with the figures of 2/48 in his four overs.
"Generally, nobody likes losing. Honestly, I am not bothered by the trolling. You are saying 'don't troll and all that, I don't bother about that. If people are talking about you, pointing out your flaws, it can come from a position of meaning well. We can take it as constructive criticism. But, a few people, when they go after you, it is just venom," Ashwin said.
"It's easy to find out the difference, I can easily figure out what's constructive criticism and what's venom. I don't worry about that. It's always about being better than today. This has been my life's mantra. I don't worry about that too much. It's coming from a position of love when people are genuinely talking about you, ranting about your performances. My father still reprimands me if I get out. My parents scold me. As far as criticism is coming from a place of love, it's absolutely fine," he added.
Having lost four out of their five matches this season, Chennai Super Kings are currently languishing at the ninth spot in the 10-team points table.
Ashwin revealed that he avoids using social media during marquee tournaments, and this year has been no different.
"It's also not easy being fans. Even when I was at Rajasthan Royals, I totally go off. I don't engage with you even when you talk about the game to me. I am thoroughly invested in the process when you are in the heat of the tournament. I completely eliminate social media. I don't comment anything. My friends sometimes message me 'don't worry, stay strong' when I am not doing well. I tell them don't tell me these things too. I am not interested in knowing what's happening outside. Those opinions, sometimes... There are a few who don't know why they are trolling a player. They do it out of anger," he remarked.
Ashwin also recalled a conversation he had with Dinesh Karthik, highlighting how the wicketkeeper-batter praised RCB fans for their loyalty and refusal to abandon players in tough times.
"Talking about fandom, last year, I did an episode of Kutty stories with Dinesh Karthik. He told me one thing about RCB fandom. He said RCB fans will not let down any of their players at any stage. I agree that fandom is about criticism and keeping it real. But, no player goes out there to make mistakes.
"But, you can be constructive with your criticism and trolling. At the same time, there are fans who don't let their players down. I believe they are real fans," Ashwin stated.
