Shocking news for the cricket fans from India over World Cup Matches
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Former Indian cricketer Laxman Sivaramakrishnan recently ignited a storm on social media through a blistering Twitter with his assertion that match pitches in India are supposedly manipulated to cater for Indian bowling. This contentious episode unfolded against the backdrop of discussions surrounding the upcoming World Cup commentators, ultimately giving rise to a fiery online feud, Zee News has reported.
Sivaramakrishnan's initial critique commenced rather innocuously as he responded to a post disclosing the World Cup commentator lineup. He bemoaned the absence of "genuine spinners" in the panel, denouncing it as a "pathetic mix." Notably, the list included celebrated spinners such as Lisa Sthalekar, Samuel Badree, Ravi Shastri, and Russell Arnold, all boasting impressive international wicket records.
However, the turning point occurred when a fellow commenter suggested that flat pitches would be prepared for India's batsmen in the World Cup. In response, Sivaramakrishnan delivered a bold claim, contending that Indian Test pitches were intentionally tailored to favor Ashwin's bowling prowess. He also cast doubts on Ashwin's performance in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia).
Throughout this Twitter storm, R Ashwin admirably maintained his composure and humility. He expressed surprise at his inclusion in the World Cup squad and acknowledged the challenges he faced returning to limited-overs cricket after a lengthy hiatus. Regrettably, the warm-up match between India and England in Guwahati was washed out, depriving fans of a chance to witness Ashwin's performance on the field.
A passionate Ashwin supporter swiftly countered the criticism, vigorously defending the spinner's impressive record and asserting his superiority over Sivaramakrishnan. Ashwin had recently been drafted into India's World Cup squad following Axar Patel's injury, boasting 155 ODI wickets in 115 matches. In stark contrast, Sivaramakrishnan's own limited international record stood at 15 wickets in 16 ODIs and 26 wickets in nine Test matches.
Despite the mounting backlash, Sivaramakrishnan refused to backtrack from his controversial stance. He continued to stoke the flames by asserting, "Any fool will get wickets on tampered pitches in India," insinuating that he had firsthand evidence of pitch tampering to favor Ashwin. This escalation of hostilities added an extra layer of intensity to the unfolding controversy, fueled by relentless criticism from a former cricketer.
