England's No. 4 batsman, Harry Brook, has encountered significant challenges in the current T20I series against India. The right-handed player has been dismissed by Varun Chakravarthy on two occasions. Following the series opener in Kolkata, Brook offered an unusual explanation, attributing his difficulties in reading the spinners to the smog at Eden Gardens.

Ravichandran Ashwin took the opportunity to critique Brook's "smog" remark, referencing his dismissal in Chennai during the second T20I. Ashwin, who concluded his international career in December 2024, expressed his views candidly, indicating that Brook is struggling to read the Indian spinner effectively.

Varun Chakravarthy has emerged as the standout bowler for India in the series, claiming five wickets across the first two matches.

"There was no smog in Chennai. Harry Brook previously mentioned smog in Kolkata, which made it challenging to face Varun Chakravarthy. I would like to advise Harry Brook: 'Please recognize that Varun Chakravarthy does not predominantly bowl leg spin; it is a googly,'" Ashwin stated on his YouTube channel, 'Ash Ki Baat'.

Regarding Brook's dismissals in the initial T20Is, Ashwin remarked, "You shifted to the leg stump and failed to read the delivery, resulting in your dismissal. Then you covered the stumps and took an exaggerated stride, yet could not decipher the googly, leading to your second dismissal."

'Not reading googly out of his hand'

Ashwin, recognized for his keen understanding of the game, believes that Brook is failing to read the ball as it is delivered by Chakravarthy, which he identifies as a significant reason for Brook's dismissals.

"A player must be able to read the googly from his hand, regardless of the lighting conditions; otherwise, they are not effectively interpreting the delivery," Ashwin remarked.

Following Harry Brook's dismissal in the second T20I, Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar commented on the England player's remark about "smog," noting that such conditions are absent in Chennai.

In the current series against India, England has struggled against the spinners, which is a primary factor contributing to their 0-2 deficit.

The two teams are set to face each other again in the third T20I on Tuesday, January 28, at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot.

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