Ashwin condemned the online abuse and on-field jeering directed at Pandya, emphasizing that neither the franchise nor the player bears responsibility for the fan conflict.
“Neither has any role to play. Neither the franchise nor the player has a role to play in this at all. I think the responsibility and the onus lie on the fans,” stated Ashwin on his YouTube channel.Highlighting the unprecedented nature of the fan war, Ashwin questioned its occurrence in other cricketing nations. He stressed the need for fans to appreciate the game without resorting to abusive behavior.
“This is cricket. This is a cinema culture. I know there are things like marketing, positioning and branding. I do not deny it. I do not believe in all this on my side but it is not wrong to indulge either. Fan wars should never go down this ugly route,” he remarked.
Ashwin further questioned the necessity for teams to issue clarifications amid player and captaincy controversies, citing examples of legendary cricketers playing under different captains over the years. He urged fans to respect players and avoid disparaging behavior.
Expressing concern over the toxic fan culture, Ashwin called for a collective effort to foster a more positive environment in cricket fandom.
“We need to get our act together… Real-time sports have real-time emotions. How we go beyond that, counter it and find a balance to play cricket is what this is all about,” he emphasized.
As the controversy rages on, MI face an uphill battle in the IPL season, having suffered two consecutive losses. Their upcoming match against Rajasthan Royals on April 1 will test their resolve amidst the ongoing fan conflict.
(With inputs from ANI)