Former India cricket Laxman Sivaramakrishnan has blasted R Ashwin on a social media rant alleging that Test match pitches in India are ‘doctored’ to suit the off-spinner.

Sivaramakrishnan’s tirade was sparked by a response to a post on X (formerly Twitter) which detailed the commentators for the upcoming World Cup. Underneath the post, Sivaramakrishnan commented that there was “not one genuine spinner in the commentary panel” and labelled the line-up a “pathetic mix”.

Not one genuine spinner in the commentary panel that is being played in India. How will people get educated on spin bowling. Does it mean only batsmen and some colour commentators know the game. Pathetic mix

— Laxman Sivaramakrishnan (@LaxmanSivarama1) September 30, 2023

The list of commentators included Lisa Sthalekar, Samuel Badree, Ravi Shastri and Russell Arnold – all spinners with at least 50 international wickets. When this was pointed out to Sivaramakrishnan, he responded, seemingly in response to Badree’s name: “West Indies are not even playing, who is he representing, what logic.”

However, Sivaramakrishnan’s strongest remarks were made towards R Ashwin, after another commenter alleged that flat pitches would be prepared to suit India’s batters in the tournament. Sivaramakrishnan responded: “Indian batsman [sic] are struggling against spin because the pitches in India are doctored for Ashwin in Test matches. Look at his record in SENA Countries.”

Indian batsman are struggling against spin because the pitches in India are doctored for Ashwin in Test matches. Look at his record in SENA Countries 😂😂😂😂

— Laxman Sivaramakrishnan (@LaxmanSivarama1) September 30, 2023

This comment was quoted by another X user, who defended R Ashwin’s record and stated that he was a better spinner than Sivaramakrishnan. Ashwin was drafted into India’s World Cup squad earlier this week after Axar Patel was ruled out of the tournament. He has taken 155 ODI wickets in 115 matches. Sivaramakrishnan played 16 ODIs between 1985 and 1987 and took 15 wickets. He also played nine Test matches for India, in which he took 26 wickets at an average of 23.61.

In response to the defence of R Ashwin mounted, Sivaramakrishnan wrote: “Any fool will get wickets on tampered pitches in India.” He continued in a separate comment, “Go straight from the airport to the ground and tell the ground staff what areas to tamper, I have seen with my own eyes several times.”

These posts were followed with several derogatory comments about Ashwin, in which he labelled him “unfit” and a “liability”.

Most unfit cricketer

— Laxman Sivaramakrishnan (@LaxmanSivarama1) September 30, 2023

His diatribe came during a rain delay in the warm-up match between India and England in Guwahati. In an interview before the game, Ashwin said he “would have thought you were joking” if he had been told ahead of time that he would be playing in the World Cup. The veteran off-spinner has played four ODIs in the last six years and played his first matches in the format for 18 months last week against Australia.

The warm-up match was eventually washed out without a ball being bowled.

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