Ravichandran Ashwin, who is known for his social media wit, once again broke the news online on Saturday (January 31). Ahead of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026, the veteran India offspinner brutally blocked a Pakistan fan who tried to troll him with a bold statement about opener Saim Ayub.
In the fifth and final T20I at Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, January 31, India defeated New Zealand by 46 runs and sealed the series victory 4-1. The Men in Blue opted to bat first and posted a total of 271 runs for five in 20 overs, which was too much for the visitors to chase.
India’s batting firepower is scary – Ravichandran Ashwin ahead of 2026 T20 World Cup
Ravichandran Ashwin shared his thoughts on social media during the fifth T20I against the Black Caps. He said the team looks extremely dangerous even without a few big-name names.
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Ashwin said it was “scary” to see such a strong line-up. He pointed out that despite the absence of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad and under-19 talent Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the team has maintained a high level of performance.
Ashwin wrote on
The batting firepower of the Indian team is frightening, and what is even more frightening is that Jaiswal, Vaibhav, Gill and Ruturaj are not in the team. pic.twitter.com/BlCeaAzuCu
— Ashwin🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) January 31, 2026
The Tamil Nadu-born cricketer said even players outside the regular squad can win games, making India a threat no matter which combination they field.
Ravichandran Ashwin’s reply to Pakistani fans goes viral
Ravichandran Ashwin’s post praising India’s batting depth attracted a flood of support from Indian fans but also sparked reactions across borders. A Pakistani cricket fan responded by saying that Syam Ayub alone can “single-handedly destroy” India.
“How about Pakistan’s Syam Ayub single-handedly destroying India?” Abdullah Khan commented.
Instead of responding with words or getting into an argument, Ravichandran Ashwin chose a more light-hearted approach. He replied to a gif of Bollywood comedian Johnny Lever with a look of shock and disbelief on his face.
https://t.co/kPPbPyseyK pic.twitter.com/r2i3WAm9e2
— Ashwin🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) January 31, 2026
A response to a picture quickly attracted attention online. Fans found this humorous as Ashwin brushed off the claims about Ayub and did not take them seriously. The exchange quickly went viral, with many praising Ashwin for his clever use of humor to silence a troll.
India Klink series, batting performance dominates
India elected to bat first after winning the toss and posted a mammoth score of 271 for 5 in 20 overs. Ishan Kishan scored 103 runs and Suryakumar Yadav scored 63 runs. Hardik Pandya (42 points) and Abhishek Sharma (30 points) also contributed key points.
Lockie Ferguson is the bowler for New Zealand with two wickets. The visitors kept up the chase early on thanks to some brilliant knocking from Finn Allen, who smashed 80 off 38 balls. However, the momentum turned in India’s favor after he was dismissed in the ninth over.
New Zealand eventually lost by 225 runs in 19.4 overs. Arshdeep Singh played brilliantly and sealed the win by five wickets. Kishan was awarded the Man of the Match award while Suryakumar Yadav was named the Player of the Series for his consistent performance.






