Ashwin holds up the mirror to Gill-Gambhir’s India after loss to New Zealand: ‘We played very soft cricket’

Ravichandaran Ashwin criticized India's lackluster response during their ODI series defeat to New Zealand, stating it felt flat.

Ravichandaran Ashwin didn’t sugar-coat India’s rare ODI series defeat at home to New Zealand, calling the team’s response under pressure “flat” and warning that the next few weeks will decide how long this loss stays in public memory.

Ravichandran Ashwin during the warm up before and IPL match (REUTERS)

Speaking on his YouTube show Ash ki Baat, Ashwin argued the 2-1 scoreline flattered India, insisting New Zealand’s grip on the series felt far heavier than the numbers suggested.

“Everything will be forgotten now”: Ashwin

“Everything will be forgotten now. There is the T20 World Cup and the IPL now. So, if the environment is there, things will go accordingly. We all know this. But if the T20 World Cup does not go well and people do not perform in the IPL too, there will be pressure on them. But if everything goes well, this series will be forgotten. In my books, New Zealand won the series 5-0. They won two but threatened to win one more too, so it was actually a sweep,” Ashwin said.

Ravi Ashwin added that he was unsure whether the issues stemmed from preparation or readiness, but felt India’s response under pressure was lacking.

“I thought if India even plays their B or C teams, they can beat sides. I am a little worried now that this has nothing to do with the team’s quality. Looking from outside, I think the Indian team’s response has been a bit flat. That response is not there. Always, when the team has been put under pressure, the Indian team has found ways in the past and has shown the habit. I just felt that the response felt flat, and that was disappointing. I do not think we put them under pressure. We played very soft cricket,” he concluded.

Ashwin’s verdict lands as both critique and challenge. The best sides in the world don’t just play well - they force mistakes, squeeze moments, and turn pressure into habit. That, he suggested, was missing across the series, even when New Zealand were there to be pushed back.

Now the calendar flips towards T20 cricket with T20 World Cup 2026 as the ultimate scorecard. If the team and its big names hit form quickly, this ODI series becomes background noise. If not, Ashwin’s critique will keep ringing - because it is not about one loss, but about a pattern of reactions when the game tightens.