Ravichandran Ashwin Hammers Indian Batters After Japan Scare

Ashwin criticises Indian batters after Japan scare [Source: BCCI, AFP]After India narrowly escaped a woeful defeat against Japan in the one-off T20I held at Sano, former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin launched a scathing attack on the batting lineup by calling them flat-track bullies.At Sano, India's usually strong top order featuring Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan struggled badly against Japan's spinners in difficult conditions. India were reduced to 32/4 inside five overs after the play was reduced due to rain. They eventually managed to win by just two runs, with Japan coming surprisingly close to a historic upset. Ravichandran Ashwin attacks Indian battersReacting to the India vs Japan one-off T20I, Ravichandran Ashwin expressed strong opinions on his YouTube channel. He claimed that India's batters are extremely comfortable on flat, high-scoring pitches, something they regularly encounter in the IPL. But if opposition teams deliberately prepare pitches that are either slow, turning or damp, India's aggressive batting approach could become much less effective. “I think this batting lineup will be troubled if the pitch is not placid. India is so used to playing IPL on placid pitches that if other teams start preparing different pitches, it could be really challenging for the Indian batting lineup,” Ashwin said.Sam @cricsam02 🔴 THIS INDIAN TEAM IS FULL OF FLAT-PITCH BATTERS 🤯 - Ashwin slammed the BCCI & Team India for providing flat pitches & short boundaries in the IPL. - Now, they are being exposed on overseas pitches. 🤦 Sep 22, 2026, 9:10 PM Also Read - Japan Expose India’s Growing Struggles on Non-Flat Pitches Yet AgainAlso, Ravi Ashwin directly blamed the IPL for the falling standards of Indian batters in the T20I format, saying that flat pitches have spoiled the new generation. He also warned the team that the opposition knows their weakness and will prepare slow pitches in the future series."Am I the only one watching cricket, aren't they also watching? New Zealanders are supposed to be the smartest cricketing team. They will make a pitch like this. They will give you pitches that will trouble you. In fact, it is not far-fetched that we will encounter pitches that spin even in SENA countries," Ravichandran Ashwin added.Why did Ravichandran Ashwin stress on the New Zealand series?Interestingly, India are scheduled to tour New Zealand after the Asian Games 2026 and will also play a home series against the West Indies. The tour begins with a five-match T20I series on October 22 in Christchurch. When Ravichandran Ashwin was asked whether New Zealand could use his analysis to prepare difficult pitches for India, he essentially said they don't need him to tell them.His point was that New Zealand's team management will already be watching India's recent matches and identifying weaknesses. Hence, according to Ashwin, India’s T20I team has a huge task ahead of them to counter tough conditions in the future.For now, the Japan T20I serves as an eye-opener. Indian batters must work on adaptability and focus on playing conventional cricket rather than mindless slogging. With West Indies and New Zealand series approaching, time is running out for Team India.Also Read - CSK Release Statement After Fixing Allegations Rock IPL Once Again