'Why have a go at someone relentlessly and put them in an emotional turmoil': Ashwin slams those abusing Arshdeep Singh

Ravichandran Ashwin slammed those that abused Arshdeep Singh in the aftermath of India's defeat to Pakistan in the Asia Cup

Young fast bowler Arshdeep Singh copped perhaps the worst of the fallout of India's loss to Pakistan in their first Super 4 match in the 2022 Asia Cup. Arshdeep was subjected to relentless trolling after the game, largely triggered by a catch that he dropped off Asif Ali. Arshdeep went on to take the wicket of Asif himself in the very next over but India would go on to lose the match by five wickets with just one ball remaining.

Arshdeep was the victim of relentless online abuse after India's Super 4 loss to Pakistan (AP)

While the abuse went on for a number of days, Arshdeep also found support from former and current cricketers along with public figures in India and Pakistan. Senior India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who was part of the squad in the Asia Cup but didn't play in that match, has said that those social media should refrain from bringing down a player in this manner.

“So we will get to the outrage that we saw on social media about his dropped catch against Pakistan. Yes, anybody in the public eye will get criticism, agreed. It is a part and parcel of our life. We will accept it and move forward. But getting personal is not the greatest of feelings. He (Arshdeep) is representing all of us when he is on the field, right?,” said Ashwin on his Youtube channel.

Ashwin said that he understood that many of the abuse that came Arshdeep's way may have been nothing more than an emotional tweet made in the immediate aftermath of the dropped catch. "Sometimes we have to put ourselves in that situation as a commoner, be it someone working in an IT industry or someone working in a factory. We are tweeting out of emotion as soon as he drops a catch, scolding him. Let's admit it's an expression of our emotion.

"If we are in Arshdeep's shoes and drop that catch, what will we expect? We will expect nothing but a bit of empathy, right? It's Ok. Well done, it was a great effort. Take the next catch'... That's what we all expect, right? If it was a kid, an elderly person from our house, our partner, or our brother or sister, we will expect that only," added Ashwin.

"I know it was against Pakistan and that it came at a crucial stage. But why have a go at someone relentlessly and put them in an emotional turmoil? Yes, it's an era of modern-day social media, I get it. But still it is our responsibility to act sensibly in these situations. Just like we have the right to express our thoughts, we should also coin those thoughts carefully in such a way that we should be ready to face the consequences after we express those thoughts."

"Abusing someone is completely wrong, guys. Imagine Arshdeep reading those trolls. Imagine the toll it will have on the youngster. Imagine the effect it will have on him and his family," added Ashwin.