Kris Srikkanth (left) and Ravichandran Ashwin (Agencies)

Kris Srikkanth has brushed aside Ravichandran Ashwin slamming the former’s remark on Harshit Rana regularly getting picked in India squads. In a clip on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth’s son Anirudh addressed the furore, claiming the ex-India spinner was a bit unfair and his comments hypocritical.

Srikkanth had claimed that Rana has been a constant yes-man to India head coach Gautam Gambhir and is the only permanent member of the squad. Gambhir took exception to the criticism and, without taking any name, branded the criticism as ‘shameful’.

Ashwin also jumped to Rana’s defence and, like Gambhir, he too avoided mentioning anyone specifically and advised not to get personal as such attacks may shatter a player’s confidence.

“I just want to ask, ‘Ashwin, why bro? What did we do to you?’,” Anirudh said. “It seemed a bit unfair. A couple of years back, when you (Ashwin) mocked the entire RCB bowling attack, we laughed along. Were you not aware of the fact that they have a family too?”

“It just seems a bit hypocritical. Anyway, you and me, we will not dwell on that. Everybody has their opinion and perception. That is the beauty of it. Just to the viewers, in this channel, you are going to get a strong and biased opinion. No changes there,” he added.

Anirudh said Srikkanth has always spoken his mind without fear of consequences, reminding Ashwin how the 1983 World Cup winner smoked a cigarette at the famous Lord’s Balcony.

“Chika (Srikkanth) has been that way since 1983, when he smoked a cigarette at the Lord’s balcony. He hasn’t been scared of anyone since. I’m not expecting Chika to change. Sometimes it is borderline cringe, I know it. But as much as possible, we try to keep that father-son banter as normal as possible. Thank you to all the viewers for the support,” Anirudh said.