Is Abhishek Just a Slogger, Ashwin Hits Back at Amirs Remarks

Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir has sparked intense debate across Indian and Pakistani cricket circles with his recent comments. Referring to India’s young opener Abhishek Sharma, who currently tops the T20I rankings, Amir labeled him as “just a slogger.” According to Amir, Abhishek’s defensive technique is weak, and for that reason, he cannot be considered a complete batter. Once the statement spread across social media, it triggered widespread criticism and counter-reactions.

India’s veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin responded strongly to the controversy. Speaking on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat, Ashwin said, “A video of Mohammad Amir is circulating on social media where he calls Abhishek Sharma a slogger. I want to make it clear — whatever you may say about his game, you cannot call him a slogger. At present, he has one of the most enviable bat swings in world cricket. We all know that Yuvraj Singh is his mentor.”

Ashwin further added, “In my opinion, his bat swing could even be better than Yuvraj’s. It doesn’t get better than that. Whenever Abhishek strikes the ball, it travels a long way. People may mistakenly think of him as a slogger. However, his only issue is that he wants to show aggression on every single delivery.”

From Ashwin’s remarks, it is clear that he does not see Abhishek’s aggressive batting as a weakness. Instead, he believes that in modern T20 cricket, such an approach often gives teams a significant advantage. At the same time, he acknowledged that the young batter needs to develop a sense of balance and moderation in his game.

Overall, Amir’s criticism and Ashwin’s rebuttal reflect two contrasting cricketing philosophies — one emphasizing technique and defensive solidity, and the other valuing aggression and strike rate. The debate may continue, but it once again proves that cricket remains a sport rich in emotion, differing perspectives, and in-depth analysis.