R Ashwin Sparks Debate With 'Hindi Not Our National Language' Remark: 'Thought I Should Say This...'

Ravichandran Ashwin, whose recent retirement has left the cricket world and his fans in shock, made a statement that could spark a fresh debate.

He remarked that Hindi is "not our national language, but an official language" during his address at the graduation ceremony of a private engineering college in Tamil Nadu, where the issue of Hindi has historically been sensitive and provoked strong reactions.

While addressing the students, Ashwin asked if they would be willing to ask questions in Hindi if they were not comfortable with English or Tamil.

"English students in the house - give me a yay," he urged, prompting a loud cheer. "Tamil?" The students roared in response. "Okay, Hindi?" The room fell silent. Ashwin then added, "I thought I should say this. Hindi is not our national language; it is an official language," in Tamil.

This comment could reignite the debate, especially as several opposition parties, including Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK, have accused the Centre of attempting to impose Hindi in states, particularly in the South.

At the same event, Ashwin also addressed the topic of Team India's captaincy, offering a diplomatic response.

"When someone says I can't do it, I wake up to accomplish it, but if they say I can, I lose interest," Ashwin explained.

Ashwin also shared insights into his background, having completed engineering. He encouraged the students to stay persistent and never give up, even when faced with doubts.

"Had any engineering staff told me I couldn't become captain, I would have worked harder," he said, urging students to remain focused and persistent.

"If you are a student, you will never stop. If you aren't, learning will cease, and excellence will just be a word in your cupboard," he added.