Ashwin Criticizes Harry Brook 'Smog' Excuse After Consecutive Dismissals by Varun Chakravarthy

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Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has openly criticized England's Harry Brook for attributing his struggles against Indian spinners to smoggy conditions in Kolkata. Brook's comments came after his dismissal by Varun Chakravarthy in the first T20I at Eden Gardens.

Following England's defeat in the series opener, where they were bowled out for 132, Brook suggested that the smog in Kolkata hindered their ability to read the spinners. He stated, "Chakravarthy is an exceptionally good bowler. But with the smog the other night, it was a lot harder to pick."

Ashwin's Rebuttal

In response, Ashwin, on his YouTube channel 'Ash Ki Baat', dismissed Brook's claims, emphasizing that visibility was not an issue in the subsequent match in Chennai. He remarked, "There was no smog there in Chennai.

Harry Brook had earlier stated that there was smog in Kolkata, so picking Varun Chakravarthy was difficult." Ashwin further advised Brook to focus on reading Chakravarthy's deliveries, noting, "Please understand that Varun Chakravarthy doesn't bowl leg spin that much. It is googly."

Chakravarthy has been a standout performer in the series, claiming five wickets in the first two matches. He dismissed Brook in both games, exploiting the batsman's apparent difficulty in reading his googlies. Ashwin analyzed Brook's dismissals, stating, "You moved to the leg stump and couldn't read the delivery, so you got bowled."

He added, "Then you covered the stump and took a big stride, but couldn't read the googly, you got bowled again." During the second T20I in Chennai, commentators Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri humorously referenced Brook's earlier remarks after he was bowled by Chakravarthy again.

Shastri quipped, "You don't need the smog tonight. This one has sneaked through." Gavaskar added, "The light is clearer here in Chennai. There was some smog in the Eden Gardens Kolkata. No smog here, had no idea where the ball was going."

With India leading the series 2-0, the teams are set to face off in the third T20I on Tuesday, January 28, at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot. England will need to address their batting vulnerabilities, especially against spin, to stay competitive in the series.