What is wrong with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi carrying a drink? R Ashwin hits back at critics

After being called out for saying there is nothing wrong with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi sitting out the Ireland T20I, former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin hit out at his critics. Speaking ahead of England’s T20I series, Ashwin asked what was so bad about a 15-year-old carrying drinks for India’s senior players and gaining valuable experience in the dressing room.

Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav did not get his India debut despite an incredible season in the Indian Premier League. After the IPL season ended, Vaibhav also enjoyed a strong outing for India A in the tri-nation series in Sri Lanka where he scored the fastest fifty in List A history.

When he did not debut in the opening match against Ireland, Ashwin defended the challenge of leading the team, saying that there was value in sitting out, watching the game and acclimatising to the national team environment.

“He has value sitting outside and watching the game as well. Let him serve the team, help, even fetch water. There is a lot to learn from this experience,” Ashwin had said in the video earlier.

“A great player doesn’t become one overnight. Once Vaibhav starts playing, he may never drop out – it can happen, just like it happened with Sachin Tendulkar.”

“But if he spends some time outside the playing eleven first, he will gain empathy and understand the team environment better. He has a long and illustrious career ahead of him. Sitting out is also a role,” Ashwin said after the first T20I of the series.

ASHWIN BACK CRITICS

Ashwin faced considerable backlash following these remarks, with many questioning the point of carrying a generational talent in the team if he was not going to play in form.

Responding to the criticism on his own show, Ashwin hit back and asked if carrying water bottles for older players had somehow become a negative thing.

“We have to give Vaibhav Sooryavanshi time. The way he has played in the IPL, obviously you will have to play him at some point. He is so special,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

“I am saying that carrying water is not humiliating,” Ashwin added.

“Why do people think carrying water is a bad thing? When did the ethos of cricket change? I was a ballboy in Chennai in the 1990s and 2000s and I was so happy to carry water to the cricketers then.”

“When was there less running to the field and handing a water bottle to the Indian players?”

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is expected to get a chance in India’s T20I series against England. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate explained that Vaibhav was not given his Ireland debut as the team wanted to give the World Cup winners a longer run of openers as they begin a new cycle under captain Shreyas Iyer.

India begin their five-match T20I series against England on July 1.

ALL INDIA DEPARTMENT FOR ENGLAND T20IS

Shreyas Iyer (C), Tilak Varma (VC), Ravi Bishnoi, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Ishan Kishan, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Shivam Dube, Varun Yashi. Sohavavary, Prince Yashi.

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Issued by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

30 Jun 2026 15:38 IST