"Strong indication of what the future holds" - Ravichandran Ashwin opens up on Ollie Robinson's suspension

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has opined on Ollie Robinson's indefinite suspension from international cricket.

Ashwin said he feels 'genuinely sorry' for the English pacer, adding that the suspension over some historic social media posts is an indication of what the future holds for sportspersons in the era of social media.

Ollie Robinson, the latest debutant for England, has been prohibited from all international cricket until the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) completes its investigation into his eight-year-old racist and sexist tweets.

The tweets surfaced only on the day of his debut against New Zealand and have divided opinions in the cricket fraternity since then.

Ravichandran Ashwin expressed his views through his official Twitter handle, saying:

"I can understand the negative sentiments towards what #OllieRobinson did years ago, but I do feel genuinely sorry for him being suspended after an impressive start to his test career. This suspension is a strong indication of what the future holds in this social media Gen".

I can understand the negative sentiments towards what #OllieRobinson did years ago, but I do feel genuinely sorry for him being suspended after an impressive start to his test career. This suspension is a strong indication of what the future holds in this social media Gen.
— Mask up and take your vaccine🙏🙏🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) June 7, 2021

Ollie Robinson won't feature in the second Test against the Kiwis and the ECB is reportedly on its way to include a backup seamer.

The board itself is under pressure to take cases of discrimination more seriously than ever, with esteemed names like Michael Holding accusing it of not doing much in this direction.

Ollie Robinson's suspension mars a stunning debut

As an ex teammate of Ollie Robinson’s in the Yorkshire set up, having roomed, shared the field and gone out for dinners and socials with him, I know full well he isn’t a racist.

Yes, the remarks were inexcusable and irresponsible. He’s apologised. We should forgive, and move on.
— Moin Ashraf (@MoinA23) June 2, 2021

The tweets and subsequent investigation have marred one of the most brilliant debuts for England in a long time. Ollie Robinson picked up the most wickets in the first Test for his team (seven) at the cost of just 101 runs.

The right-arm pacer looked completely at home in a bowling attack that included the likes of James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

Ollie Robinson also played a crucial 101-ball cameo in England's first innings. His 42 runs kept the hosts in the game and helped them avoid an embarrassing follow-on.

The series will now shift to Edgbaston, where the second Test will begin on June 10.