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Rahul Dravid Accuses Ashwin Of Coaching Australia During 2023 Test Series
Follow UsAshwin had uploaded a video on his YouTube channel explaining how to play spin in Indian conditions
Former India head coach Rahul Dravid took a light-hearted dig at R Ashwin, accusing the veteran offspinner of “coaching the Australian team” during their four-match Test series in India back in 2023.
The incident dates back to after the second Test, when India had taken a 2-0 lead in the series. Ashwin uploaded a video on his YouTube channel explaining how to play spin in Indian conditions.
The video was entirely in Tamil, but coincidentally, Australia bounced back in the very next match, thrashing India by nine wickets in Indore. The timing of the video sparked criticism on social media, with many joking that Ashwin had helped the Aussies. He eventually had to change the video’s thumbnail.
In the latest episode of Kutti Stories with Ash, Dravid recalled the episode with a smile: “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.
“The flak I got was 'Ashwin is coaching better than you are - what are you doing?’”
Ashwin quickly responded: “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?”
The offspinner also revealed a funny exchange with Australian pacer Mitchell Starc during that Indore Test: “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?’”
Dravid continued the banter, adding, “It's good to know that Starc knows Tamil. I think it was maybe the Australian guys got some Tamil guy to sort of…” To which Ashwin clarified that the video had subtitles.
Despite the drama and jokes surrounding the video, India eventually went on to win the series 2-1, with the fourth and final Test in Ahmedabad ending in a draw.