Ashwin's brutal takedown of Harry Brook's ‘smog’ comment: 'No matter how the light is...'

England's No.4 batter, Harry Brook, has found the going tough in the ongoing T20I series against India. The right-hander has been found out by Varun Chakravarthy, as the spinner has bowled him twice. After the series opener in Kolkata, Harry Brook gave a bizarre excuse, saying the smog at Eden Gardens made it difficult to read the spinners. Ravichandran Ashwin didn't mince his words as he brutally roasted Harry Brook. The England batter has lost his wicket to Varun Chakravarthy on two occasions. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(AP)

Ravichandran Ashwin cited Harry Brook's dismissal in Chennai in the second T20I to brutally roast the batter for his "smog" comment. Ashwin, who retired from international cricket in December 2024, didn't mince any words, saying the England batter is just not reading the Indian spinner.

Varun Chakravarthy has been the pick of the Indian bowlers in the ongoing series, taking 5 wickets in the opening two matches.

"There was no smog there in Chennai. Harry Brook had earlier stated that there was smog in Kolkata, so picking Varun Chakravarthy was difficult. I want to say one thing to Harry Brook: 'Please understand that Varun Chakravarthy doesn't bowl leg spin that much. It is googly'," said Ashwin on his YouTube channel 'Ash Ki Baat'.

Talking about Harry Brook's dismissals in the first T20Is, Ashwin stated, "You moved to the leg stump and couldn't read the delivery, so you got bowled. Then you covered the stump and took a big stride, but couldn't read the googly, you got bowled again."

'Not reading googly out of his hand'

Ashwin, who is an astute reader of the game, also opines that Brook is just not reading the ball out of Chakravarthy's hand, and this is the main contributing factor behind his dismissals.

"No matter how the light is, if you are not reading the googly out of his hand, you are just not reading the delivery out of his hand," said Ashwin.

After Harry Brook lost his wicket in the second T20I, Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar referred to the England star's "smog" comment, saying there is none of it in Chennai.

In the ongoing series against India, England have found the going tough against the spinners and this is the main reason behind the visitors trailing 0-2.

India and England will now take on each other in the third T20I on Tuesday, January 28, at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot.

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