India spinner R Ashwin has shared his thoughts on the recent controversy involving young speedster Arshdeep Singh, who was trolled online after he missed a catch during a crunch India vs Pakistan match in the Asia Cup 2022 super 4s stage.
Pakistan won the match by 5 wickets after Arshdeep couldn’t defend 7 runs in the last over of the chase. India, who had lost to Sri Lanka as well in Super 4s, was then eliminated from the race to the Asia Cup final when Pakistan defeated Afghanistan in their next match by one wicket.
Arshdeep Singh had dropped the catch of Asif Ali during the high-tension encounter and fans took to social media to vent their ire against the pacer he was even abused on Twitter while being name called.
Ashwin, who is in India's 15-member squad for the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia next month, took to his YouTube channel to express his displeasure at the trolls and said that Arshdeep had the courage to bowl a superb last over of the innings despite the setback of the dropped catch.
Ashwin said: "Arshdeep gave a terrific closeout against Pakistan. He bowled extraordinarily well in the last over against Pakistan in that tight finish. Despite dropping that catch, how well he came back and bowled the last over in that game. What composure! Both against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. So a big kudos to that boy."
"I have followed him from the U-17 and U-19 days and I have played with him for Kings XI Punjab (Punjab Kings). He is an outstanding person. He is a cricketer who has a superb work ethic. I am sure this kid will go places. I don't have any doubts about that," he added.
"So we will get to the outrage that we saw on social media about his dropped catch against Pakistan. Yes, anybody in the public eye will get criticism, agreed. It is a part and parcel of our life. We will accept it and move forward. But getting personal is not the greatest of feelings. He (Arshdeep) is representing all of us when he is on the field, right?
Sometimes we have to put ourselves in that situation as a commoner, be it someone working in an IT industry or someone working in a factory. We are tweeting out of emotion as soon as he drops a catch, scolding him. Let's admit it's an expression of our emotion,” Ashwin continued.
"If we are in Arshdeep's shoes and drop that catch, what will we expect? We will expect nothing but a bit of empathy, right?. 'It's Ok. Well done, it was a great effort. Take the next catch'... That's what we all expect, right? If it was a kid, an elderly person from our house, our partner, or our brother or sister, we will expect that only," added Ashwin.
He mentioned that the fans should act sensibly on social media despite it being a big match.
Ashwin said: "I know it was against Pakistan and that it came at a crucial stage. But why have a go at someone relentlessly and put them in an emotional turmoil? Yes, it's an era of modern-day social media, I get it. But still it is our responsibility to act sensibly in these situations. Just like we have the right to express our thoughts, we should also coin those thoughts carefully in such a way that we should be ready to face the consequences after we express those thoughts."
"Abusing someone is completely wrong, guys. Imagine Arshdeep reading those trolls. Imagine the toll it will have on the youngster. Imagine the effect it will have on him and his family," added Ashwin.
(IANS inputs)
