India vs Australia | Farokh Engineer criticizes Harbhajan Singh for slamming Ravichandran Ashwin

01/10/2019

Farokh Engineer has stated that Harbhajan Singh’s criticism of Ravichandran Ashwin was not in good taste and commented that one should not 'wash their dirty linen in public'. Earlier, Harbhajan had criticized Ashwin saying that whenever India needs him the most, he has not been up to the mark.

After playing one match in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Ravichandran Ashwin was out injured for the rest of the Test series that India won 2-1. After India won the series, Harbhajan had criticized Ashwin for his failures in his away series. He had stated that Ashwin’s away records fail to inspire confidence and also gave the example of England spinner Moeen Ali, who outshone the Indian on the England tour last year.

“The best I have seen R Ashwin bowl was in the first Test in England. After that, he lost his edge. He looked dull in the next Test and then got injured in the series. When he played at Southampton, he got very few wickets while Moeen Ali from the opposition got 9 wickets,” Harbhajan had said on India Today.

“After that in Australia, he got three in the first innings of the first Test and after that had to bowl 52 overs to get the next three wickets. So it has to be said that his away record has been shaky and he has struggled.”

Commenting on that Harbhajan Singh had criticized Ashwin for missing crucial games for India which in turn fetched his the ire of former India player Farokh Engineer.

“Did you read Harbhajan’s comments on Ashwin; he was out of order there. What is a first spinner and second spinner? Spinner is a spinner,” Engineer said during a talk show on Wednesday.

Ashwin had also missed a few games in England due to injury and had to play a game with a niggle. But Engineer brushed aside the criticism and said that Singh should not criticize a spinner who has replaced him in the side.

“Ashwin is a great bowler. It appeared to me he (Harbhajan Singh) was critical of Ashwin. You don’t wash dirty linen in public especially on an off-spinner who has replaced you.

“It’s like (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni criticising (Rishabh) Pant. It’s not cricket,” Engineer added.