Ravichandran Ashwin Sooryavanshi has once again defended his view on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s role in the Indian team, insisting that there is nothing wrong with the teenage batsman spending time on the bench and contributing to the team by carrying drinks during matches. The former India spinner had earlier supported the team management’s decision to leave Sooryavanshi out of the starting XI for the first T20I against Ireland. After India’s defeat in that match, Ashwin said the 15-year-old can still learn a lot by observing the matches closely and helping the team, including bringing drinks on the field. While the remarks drew criticism from a section of fans on social media who felt Ashwin was damaging the youngster, the veteran spinner has now clarified that his remarks were misunderstood and taken out of context. “We need to give time to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Obviously, the way he performed in the IPL, you have to play against him at some point. He is special. What I am trying to say is, there is no shame in carrying water. Why do people think carrying water is a bad thing? When did the ethos of cricket change? In the 1990s and 2000s, I was a ball boy in Chennai and I was happy to carry water for Test cricket. So cricketers,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel ash ki butt. “When did running on the field to give water bottles to Indian players become less common?” he added. Sooryavanshi enters Ireland series with IPL 2026 highlights rajasthan royalswhere he accumulated over 700 runs. Despite expectations on debut, India retains their winning opening combination in T20 World Cup Abhishek Sharma and Sanzhou Samsonleaving the young man aside. During the match, Soriyavanshi was seen taking the field with drinks during the inter-innings break. Ashwin expressed similar sentiments immediately after the first T20I, stressing that watching matches from outside the playing squad is equally valuable for the development of young cricketers. “There is value in sitting outside and watching the game as well. Having him serve the team, help, even deliver water. A lot can be learned from this experience,” Ashwin said. “A great player doesn’t become a great player overnight. Once Vaibhav starts playing, he may never be dropped; it could happen, as it did Sachin Tendulkar. But if he spends some time outside of the starting lineup first, he’ll gain empathy and a better understanding of the team environment. He has a long and illustrious career ahead of him. Sitting outside is also a role,” Ashwin said after the first T20I of the series. India’s 0-2 series loss to Ireland has now shifted attention to the upcoming five-match T20I series against England starting from July 1. Whether Sooryavanshi finally wins his international debut remains uncertain. Before the opening game, the captain Shreyas Iyer Avoiding revealing the team’s plans suggests that Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson are likely to continue to get opportunities given their performances over the past year.
