Ravichandran Ashwin has reacted to the public criticism after an embarrassing 0-3 series defeat to New Zealand at home. Ashwin was one of the strongest pillars in India's Test domination in the past decade, but he saw the team crumble when the Blackcaps came, all prepared to prove that the Asian Giants were no longer invincible at home. The veteran off-spinner had a tough series where, for the first time, he was out bowled by the opposition spinners - Ajaz Patel, Mitchell Santner and part-timer Glenn Phillips on Indian soil.

New Zealand became the fourth side to whitewash India in a series of three or more Tests after England (4), Australia (3), and the West Indies (once) and the first to do so at home. Meanwhile, the critics and fans started pointing fingers at the team's senior members, including R Ashwin, for his India's poor show across three matches in home conditions.

Ashwin shut down the critics and fans for the players' character assassination, saying no one was more hurt than the players in the dressing room who suffered the crushing defeat.

"It was difficult for me to see how people reacted - how did they react? Everyone should apologize - sir, this is a sport, I just want to say one thing, everyone was hurt, as Indian cricket fans but let me promise you, no one can hurt as much as a player in the dressing room - so doubting the hurt is criminal because players make careers & their careers are broken by what they do on the field so I believe that character assassination shouldn't be done by anyone," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

India in tricky position to qualify for WTC Final

The series defeat to New Zealand has put the Indian team in a tricky spot in the World Test Championship Final qualification. For India there is little time to fix things -- they travel to Australia for a five-match Test series starting on November 22. Rohit Sharma and Co. have to beat Australia 4-0 to qualify for the WTC final but if they failed to do so then they have to rely on other team's results to play the all-important for in the third consecutive cycle of the ICC event.

Read Also: Rizwan's startling revelation after historic ODI series win vs Australia: ‘Captain only for toss and presentations’

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON !