Team India’s veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has opined on the downfall of Pakistan cricket. However, Pakistan have come under the scanner after their poor performances in the recently concluded two-match home Test series against Bangladesh. Notably, Bangladesh scripted history, claiming their first-ever Test win against Pakistan with a 2-0 whitewash as well.
Commenting on Pakistan’s dismal run in international cricket, Ashwin said in his latest YouTube video, “Keeping all this aside, Pakistan cricket, to see where it is right now, it wasn’t possible 10 years ago with Misbah, Younis Khan, even when they used to play in UAE. Back then, it was very tough to beat Pakistan, right? You had the likes of Yasir Shah, you had the likes of a couple of left-arm spinners coming in. All these guys, to where they are right now, I cannot believe it.”
However, Pakistan’s Test captain Shan Masood has had a terrible start as captain, losing each of his five Tests as well. Ashwin also mentioned
that it was tough for Masood to lead the team, considering that Babar Azam is at the forefront of Pakistani cricket as well.
“I feel terribly bad for somebody named Shaan Masood. I will tell you why. Shaan Masood is a very smart cricketer. I know that guy. He speaks a lot of sense. He can be a really good captain for Pakistan. But handling a Pakistan cricket team at this point of time, where somebody like Babar Azam is not the captain and he is a poster boy for Pakistan, it cannot be an easy dressing room, right? Genuinely speaking, Pakistan cricket’s history, Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Imran Khan, Inzamam ul Haq, Ijaz Ahmed, Salim Malik. I can just keep on going on. This legacy, Saeed Anwar, Aamir Sohail, what legacy that country and that cricket team have?,” he added.
However, Pakistan faced a 10-wicket defeat in the Test series opener against Bangladesh at Rawalpindi as well. The hosts failed to level the series in the subsequent must-win game, facing a humiliating six-wicket loss as well. Commenting on Bangladesh’s historic Test series win, Ravichandran Ashwin mentioned how they must have felt the heat of the political turmoil back home as well.
“Extraordinary turn of events for Bangladesh and generally, when your back is up against the wall, things get tough. And that’s why the victory is sweet, they say. Just like how Rohit Sharma took a photo with the World Cup in his bed, Shanto took a photo of this trophy on his bed,” Ravichandran Ashwin concluded.
