The cricketing world has been buzzing with tension following a heated exchange between Ravichandran Ashwin and former Indian captain Kris Srikkanth, alongside his son Anirudha, through their YouTube channel ‘Cheeky Cheeka.’ This dramatic back-and-forth escalated when Anirudha openly criticized Ashwin’s recent comments, labeling them as hypocritical.
The conflict began when Srikkanth and Anirudha voiced strong disapproval of pace bowler Harshit Rana, insinuating that his inclusion on the Kolkata Knight Riders team stemmed more from favoritism by head coach Gautam Gambhir than from merit. During a press conference after the West Indies series, Gambhir chastised various critics, including Srikkanth, for their comments about Rana, calling their critiques “shameful” and “unacceptable.”
Adding to the controversy, Ashwin publicly sided with Gambhir and took a stand against content creators who criticized Rana. Although Ashwin did not name Srikkanth directly, he seemed to allude to the ‘Cheeky Cheeka’ channel, particularly since Vignesh, the host, referenced the ongoing dispute in their video.
In the most recent episode of the channel, Anirudha took a pointed jab at Ashwin, questioning his motives and labeling his criticisms as unfair. He reminisced about a time when Ashwin made jokes about the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s bowling unit, suggesting that Ashwin’s past words could also hurt players and their families. Anirudha expressed disbelief over Ashwin’s stance, calling it hypocritical.
He acknowledged that opinions will vary, which he believes is the allure of cricket commentary, and highlighted Srikkanth’s consistent and unabashed approach since the start of his career in 1983. As the exchange continues to unfold, Ashwin has yet to respond to the latest critique from Srikkanth and Anirudha, leaving cricket fans eager for further developments in this unfolding saga. This situation not only illustrates the passionate discourse surrounding the sport but also highlights the complexities of public commentary in professional cricket.