former indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has strongly defended the youngster after facing criticism following an altercation with a Sri Lankan player during the Tri-Test final in Dambulla.The incident, which took place after Team India’s defeat in the Super Over, quickly became a major talking point among fans and pundits alike. However, Ashwin thought the reaction was excessive and warned against turning criticism into personal attacks on young cricketers who are still learning the demands of the international game.Speaking on his YouTube show Ash Ki Baat, Ashwin questioned why so many people targeted Sooryavanshi in a split second.“All we can do is speak with hatred. What happens then? If the people we hate end up reading these things, it might have a little impact on them. But what can we achieve by talking like this? That’s why I say this. How can you hate Vaibhav Sooryavanshi?”Ashwin also hit back at those calling for more maturity from the teenager, reminding critics that age and experience must be considered before making judgements.“Tell me, how can anyone hate him? Everyone is saying, ‘This kid should show maturity. He should speak more maturely.’ Have we forgotten that we were kids once? Have we forgotten that we have kids like this in our own homes? This is a very dangerous trend,” he added.The former spinner went on to explain the difference between constructive criticism and hatred, arguing that the two are often confused in modern sports discussions.“What is criticism? If you are hosting today and I tell you, ‘Vimal bhai, I don’t really like the hosting today. Maybe we can pay attention here. Maybe this question can be asked in a different way. Maybe this issue can be dealt with in a different way.’ That is criticism. Criticism means finding a way for someone to move forward and improve. But what is hatred? When words achieve something and we keep attacking someone?” We’ve been trying to pull them down. That won’t happen,” Ashwin said.With Soriyavanshi likely to make his India debut in the upcoming T20I series against Ireland, Ashwin urged supporters and critics alike to allow the youngster to develop without constant supervision.“Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is a cricketer. He performs for us. He is a skilled entertainer. Forget for a moment his family, his well-wishers, his fans and the team management. As a lover of the game, I just want him to enjoy cricket and play without pressure. After playing cricket for so many years, I realized that playing with freedom and no baggage is one of the hardest things. As long as we can give him that freedom and let him have fun. It doesn’t matter whether he succeeds or fails. The way he plays is a spectacle. Let the kids have fun,” Ashwin said.Ashwin lent his support to Sooryavanshi after she made significant progress. While some thought the opposing bowlers were done ahead of IPL 2026, the left-hander’s response was stunning. He won the Orange Cap with 776 runs, becoming the youngest run-scorer in the history of the tournament. By doing so, he outscored famous stars Virat KohliShubman Gill and KL Rahul.His performance left little room for debate among the national selectors. President Ajit Agarkar It was later admitted that Sooryavanshi’s exploits actually forced the selection committee to include him in the India T20I squad for the Ireland and England series.The youngster has also continued his form in the Indian A-League, hitting a match-winning knock of 94 against Sri Lanka A-League in the three-match series final, further cementing his credentials ahead of what could be a landmark international debut.
