Former India off-spinner R Ashwin has playfully taken a dig at stand-in India head coach VVS Laxman, joking that his recent press conference was “boring” because it lacked the controversy often seen during Gautam Gambhir’s media interactions.
Speaking on his YouTube show alongside journalist Vimal Kumar, Ashwin reflected on India’s recent white-ball tour of Zimbabwe, where Laxman stepped in as head coach in Gambhir’s absence. While praising Laxman’s calm approach, Ashwin humorously remarked that the press conference failed to generate the excitement fans have come to expect.
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“I found Laxman Bhai’s press conference boring,” Ashwin said with a smile, prompting mock disagreement from Kumar, who pointed out that Laxman had answered every question patiently.
Ashwin clarified that his comment was not directed at Laxman personally. Instead, he explained that the joke was aimed at the nature of the interaction, noting that India had not witnessed such a controversy-free press conference in the last couple of years.
The former spinner specifically referred to Laxman’s composed response when asked about young batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, contrasting it with the headline-grabbing exchanges that have frequently surrounded Gautam Gambhir’s press briefings.
Realising his remark could be taken out of context, Ashwin quickly softened his stance. “Brother, I was joking,” he told Kumar, adding that he was merely teasing the journalist’s line of questioning and had no intention of criticising Laxman.
Kumar admitted that even he had expected a livelier media interaction, but both agreed that the exchange reflected Laxman’s calm and measured personality.
Although delivered in a light-hearted manner, Ashwin’s comments highlighted the contrast between Laxman’s understated style and the more combative press conferences often associated with Gambhir, whose media appearances have regularly dominated cricket headlines.
