Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag was heavily criticised by fans on social media for taking multiple digs at Ravichandran Ashwin, who made his commentary debut in the Indian Premier League on JioStar on Saturday, March 29.
What started out as banter between Sehwag and Ashwin, with both players trying to pull each other’s legs, soon turned sour after it became repetitive. Sehwag, instead of analysing the match, started telling personal stories, some of which were aimed at Ashwin.
Fans were particularly unhappy with one incident that has since gone viral. Allegedly during the match, Sehwag asked Ashwin to use a little less of his brain while commentating. What initially passed off as banter turned into awkward silence when Sehwag stretched the matter further than necessary.
The former India off-spinner, known for his wit, did not take it lying down and continued the exchange. Things went slightly overboard when Sehwag allegedly took another dig at Ashwin, suggesting that one should not analyse the game too much on the commentary panel.
“Today, we will speak from the heart, not with logic or careful thinking,” Sehwag said.
Ashwin was quick to respond.
“My parents have always taught me to think before I speak and never say anything without thinking first. But you’re telling me to do the complete opposite,” Ashwin replied.
Sehwag then made a remark that appeared to be a direct dig at Ashwin and his YouTube and Instagram following built over the past few years.
“Some people deliberately think before speaking. They say, ‘This player has more fans’ If I speak negatively about him, my followers will decrease. If I speak positively, my followers will increase,” Sehwag allegedly said.
It needs to be mentioned that India Today was not able to verify the exact sequence of events.
Fans reacted strongly to the exchange, calling out Sehwag and other Hindi commentators over what they perceived as a poor standard of narrative in the opening game of the season. This comes on the backdrop of criticism directed at commentators like Navjot Singh Sidhu and Aakash Chopra, who have faced flak in recent times.
Chopra, in fact, had issued a public statement during the World Cup, alleging that there was a targeted hate campaign against him.
The episode has once again brought focus on the balance between entertainment and analysis in live commentary, with viewers expecting sharper insights rather than extended personal banter, especially in high-profile broadcasts like the Indian Premier League.
