India’s spin is great Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed concern over the growing influence of “armies of fans” on social media, suggesting that some of these narratives may not be entirely organic. The veteran off-spinner described the phenomenon as an “illness”, linking it to the rise of an intense, superstar-driven culture. Indian cricket.AshwinK’s remarks echo similar concerns. Sunil Gavaskar and the current Indian head coach Gautam Gambhirboth have already questioned the increased focus on individuals over team.
Acknowledging that modern cricketers are building personal brands and managing their public image, Ashwin made it clear that a line is crossed when such efforts come at the expense of fellow players.“There’s something going on right now because of a disease. Many of the opinions that come out through legions of fans on social media — I’ve heard them before. Sometimes, I’ve heard these exact thoughts at the breakfast or lunch table, only to see them appear online later under a different name. When you start to wonder: How is this happening?” Ashwin said at the Revsportz Conclave in Kolkata.“I’m not saying the players themselves are giving this feedback, but it’s relevant. Is there some kind of orchestration? I can’t say for sure, but there seems to be an organized ecosystem in the game. Today, every player is an entrepreneur, and extending their feedback externally can increase brand value or improve PR.” But I think no one else would ever say anything negative about cricket.According to Ashwin, the dominance of such narratives has started to divert attention away from the game itself, with debates revolving around individuals rather than the substance of cricket.Drawing from personal experience, he pointed to the backlash he received after analyzing the sacking of India’s Test and ODI captain. Shabman Gul. What started as a technical foul turned into criticism from sections of the fans who accused him of targeting a particular player.“Where did it all start? We started creating a narrative around the players. We created a superhero culture, almost cinematic in nature. Who even talks about cricket now? Hardly anyone pays attention to the game,” Ashwin said.“Some time ago, I shared a Twitter thread explaining the technical reasons behind Shubman’s dismissal. For me it was always about the ‘what’ and the ‘why’, never the ‘who’. But it quickly turned into a comparison – why is the focus only on Shubman and not the others? I thought, do people even follow what I’m saying? The problem is that we took away from the conversation and the problem is that we made it a game. about individuals,” he added.Meanwhile, the veteran off-spinner called time on his international career midway through the 2024-25 Border-Gaskar Trophy after being ruled out of the Perth Test. He announced his decision during the post-match press conference in Brisbane. with the Washington Sundar Prioritizing ahead of him, Ashwin acknowledged that the team is moving in a new direction. He finished as India’s second highest wicket-taker in Tests, behind him. Anil Kumble.He took 537 wickets in 106 matches.
