"These days negativity sells..." Ashwin's statement on Harshit and Gambhir caused a stir, know what the former player said

The debate over young fast bowler Harshit Rana has intensified of late. His inclusion in India’s ODI squad for the upcoming series against Australia has drawn criticism. Former chief selector Srikkanth accused Rana of always saying yes to head coach Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir reacted strongly to this comment. Addressing the media after India’s second Test match against the West Indies, he urged critics to be more responsible and warned against only talking for YouTube views. Ravichandran Ashwin also joined this debate. He defended Gambhir’s stand and stressed the need to avoid personal attacks on players. The veteran spinner admitted that criticism is part of the game but it should be fair and focused on cricket performance rather than personal life. “There should be no bad criticism,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, “I have always believed that there should be no bad criticism against any player. When criticism gets personal, it crosses a line.” I have faced criticism from Sanjay Manjrekar throughout my career but I have never held any grudge. The most important thing is that criticism should be about the game, not personal attacks. “What is he going through?” Ashwin further said, “Imagine Harshit facing severe criticism just before he plays for India. What effect will it have on him, his family and friends? It’s okay to criticize skill, technique or style, but it shouldn’t be personal. These days, negativity sells because it has an audience. We should avoid such things.” India will start the Australia tour from October 19. Shubman Gill will also make his captaincy debut in the shorter format with the three-match ODI series. He was named as the new captain of the ODI team against Australia in place of Rohit. Share this story Tags