Archive · 18 Aug 2026
Ashwin: Manjrekar's harsh criticism became a life-changing guru
A famous Indian cricket player named Ravichandran Ashwin once played in Australia and did not bowl very well.
A cricket expert named Sanjay Manjrekar wrote an article saying Ashwin needed to get better.
At first, Ashwin felt angry and sad about it.
But after thinking, he realised the article had good advice inside it.
He decided to practise very hard for four years to become a better bowler.
Later, the same expert wrote that Ashwin was bowling wonderfully.
Ashwin then messaged the expert to thank him.
He said the criticism was like a guru, a teacher, that changed his life.
Ashwin also told a fun story about copying another great bowler's style when he was a young kid.
Ashwin said Manjrekar's long article criticising his bowling after his first Australia tour initially made him feel angry and bad.
In the 2011-12 series, Ashwin took nine wickets in three Tests at an average of 62 runs per wicket, and India lost the series 0-4.
After returning home, Ashwin worked hard on his bowling and fitness for the next four years because he found substance in Manjrekar's analysis.
In 2015, Manjrekar wrote another article praising Ashwin's bowling, after which Ashwin messaged him saying the earlier article was like a guru that changed his life.
Ashwin also recalled that he took up off-spin after watching Harbhajan Singh in the 2001 Border-Gavaskar Trophy and used to copy his bowling action.
- Who
- Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and former cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar
- What
- Ashwin revealed that Manjrekar's harsh column criticising his bowling initially upset him, but he treated it as constructive, worked hard for four years, and eventually earned Manjrekar's praise in 2015
- When
- Comments reported on August 18; the criticism came after India's 2011-12 Australia tour and Manjrekar's praise followed in 2015
- Where
- Ashwin made the remarks on Jio Hotstar; the events discussed took place during India's tour of Australia
- Why
- Ashwin wanted to improve his bowling and fitness, and found substance in Manjrekar's analysis
Criticism can hurt players
Criticism can drive improvement
Public pundit criticism of players
Criticism can hurt players
Harsh public criticism causes emotional pain; Ashwin admitted he felt really bad and angry after reading Manjrekar's column.
Criticism can drive improvement
Constructive criticism contains substance worth learning from; Ashwin treated the column like a guru and worked hard for four years, crediting it with changing his life.
- Speaker
- Ravichandran Ashwin
- Platform
- Jio Hotstar
- Critic
- Sanjay Manjrekar
- Series discussed
- India's 2011-12 tour of Australia
- Ashwin's wickets
- 9 in 3 Tests
- Bowling average
- 62 runs per wicket
- Series result
- India lost 0-4
- Manjrekar's praise
- 2015 column praising Ashwin's bowling