Ravichandran Ashwin breaks silence on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ‘serve drinks’ remark: ‘It was not in a derogatory manner…’

Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has finally addressed the controversy surrounding his remark that young batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could “serve drinks” or spend time on the sidelines. Ashwin insisted that the comment was never intended to be derogatory and said the teenage cricketer could actually benefit from observing the game from the outside.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin explained that his comments were aimed at protecting Sooryavanshi from unnecessary pressure while allowing him time to develop as a player.

“It was not in a derogatory manner. I was saying that he will get so much to learn. He has such a huge learning curve to go through that if he observes it while sitting outside, he’ll become even better,” Ashwin said.

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The former India spinner also urged fans and critics not to focus too much on whether Sooryavanshi should be picked or dropped. According to Ashwin, the youngster needs the freedom to grow naturally without being burdened by enormous expectations.

The 15-year-old Sooryavanshi has already attracted massive attention after making headlines with his performances in the IPL. His rise was so rapid that he became the youngest player to receive an India call-up, placing him firmly in the spotlight at an incredibly early stage of his career.

However, international cricket quickly presented a different challenge. The young left-handed opener found himself facing some difficult moments during the England series, where the pace and bounce posed questions about his ability to handle short-pitched deliveries. In particular, the threat of Jofra Archer tested him in unfamiliar conditions.

Ashwin, however, believes these setbacks should be viewed as part of Sooryavanshi’s education rather than evidence that he is not ready for the international stage.

The former spinner pointed out that even the greatest batters have weaknesses and have been dismissed while attempting to deal with challenging deliveries.

“Who do you think is the strongest batsman against the short ball? Ricky Ponting? Did he never get out on a short ball? He got out too,” Ashwin argued.

His message was clear: international cricket is a learning process, and every young player needs time to understand how to manage strengths, weaknesses and different match situations.

Ashwin also highlighted the danger of judging Sooryavanshi too harshly because of the enormous expectations surrounding him. After his impressive IPL performances, comparisons and expectations naturally grew, but Ashwin believes the youngster should not be expected to perform like established stars such as Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma in every match.

“He’s such a young kid. The problem is, we rate him so highly; he performed so well in the IPL, expectations skyrocketed,” Ashwin said.

“There will be ups and downs in life, in cricket too,” he added.

Sooryavanshi’s performances also showed signs of improvement when he moved into more favourable conditions. While the England tour exposed him to a demanding pace attack and challenging situations, he looked more comfortable in Zimbabwe, where his pull and hook shots came into greater effect.

The youngster’s development will remain closely watched as he competes for a place in India’s upcoming Asian Games squad. With experienced players such as Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma also in contention, Sooryavanshi faces strong competition for a place in the playing XI.

For Ashwin, however, the bigger picture matters more than immediate selection. His argument is that Sooryavanshi should be allowed to experience the highs and lows of international cricket without being written off after a few difficult performances.

The message from the veteran cricketer is perhaps best summed up by his warning against making premature judgments. Sooryavanshi is only 15, and his international journey has only just begun. If anything, the challenges he is facing now could become valuable lessons in what promises to be a long cricketing career.