Rahul Dravid Recalls R Ashwin's YouTube Video Controversy, Mocks Him For "Coaching Australia"
Rahul Dravid took a lighthearted dig at Ravichandran Ashwin while recalling an incident from the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia at home.
- Rahul Dravid joked that Ashwin coached Australia on playing spin during the 2023 series
- Ashwin’s Tamil video explaining spin bowling tactics was criticised amid Australia’s win
- "You even coached the Australian team. I got sent a clip. Unfortunately, it was in Tamil," said Dravid
Former India head coach Rahul Dravid took a lighthearted dig at Ravichandran Ashwin while recalling an incident from the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia at home. For the unversed, former India all-rounder Ashwin had shared a video on his YouTube channel after India had taken a 2-0 lead in the series. In the video, Ashwin explained how to play spin in Indian conditions ahead of the third Test, which Australia won by nine wickets. While the video was entirely in Tamil, Ashwin was criticised for his antics, and was also accused of "coaching" the Australian team as the visitors reduced the deficit.
Recalling the incident on an episode of 'Kutti Stories with Ash,' Dravid mocked Ashwin for "coaching the Australia team."
"You even coached the Australian team. I got sent a clip. Unfortunately, it was in Tamil. So that's the one I've seen about you. You're speaking in Tamil and with a little bit of Tamil that I understand, you're coaching the Australian team in the middle of the Australian series, how to play spin. And I'm thinking, Ash, the series is not over," Dravid recalled, leaving Ashwin in splits.
Ashwin was quick to clarify, saying, "If I knew how to do that, I would have told our boys how to play spin. I mean, why would I go and tell the Aussies?"
Ashwin also acknowledged that his video drew unnecessary flak for Dravid, who then gave a funny response to floor the former.
"The flak I got was 'Ashwin is coaching better than you are - what are you doing?'," replied Dravid.
Ashwin then also revealed his chat with Australia pacer Mitchell Starc during the third Test in Indore.
"An interesting thing was that (Mitchell) Starc came and told me. I mean, he bowled a bumper, and I just left it in the Indore Test match. I think we were 80 for 7 or something. We went for lunch, and he was walking with me. He was like, 'Can I tell you how to play the bouncer like your YouTube video?'," Ashwin further recalled.
Dravid joked again, saying that Australia must have hired a Tamil-speaking guy to decode Ashwin's video.
"It's good to know that Starc knows Tamil. I think it was maybe the Australian guys got some Tamil guy to sort of..."
India Cricket Team
Australia Cricket Team
Ravichandran Ashwin
Rahul Dravid