American TV series 'The Big Bang Theory' amazed Indian cricket fans when the show mentioned Ravichandran Ashwin, Hardik Pandya, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar in its 11th season. The show revolves around the lives of four scientists, including an Indian scientist by the name Rajesh Koothrappali, played by Kunal Nayyar. The show has a large fan base in India.
In scene from the seventh episode of the 11th season, where Rajesh is at a bar with Howard Wolowitz (played by Simon Helberg), both watching a cricket match, the following ensues:
"I don't get how you can enjoy cricket, it makes no sense!" Wolowitz tells Rajesh.
"That's Ravichandran Ashwin, he is amazing. He makes Hardik Pandya look like Bhuvneshwar Kumar," replies Rajesh.
"Whooa, whooa, whooa! Save syllables for the rest of us," says Wolowitz.
Indian fans of the show did not take the joke, which was made in good humour, well.
The fans’ outrage comes on the tail of the unfair comparison of Ashwin to Bhuvneshwar and Pandya, and their talent is pit against one another.
Bhuvneshwar and Pandya have been at the peak of their game after the last series wrap-up. The duo are regarded as two players from the Indian side who have shown remarkable improvement in their performance.
On the contrary, after the rise of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, Ashwin has not seen much active cricket. However, the off-spinner may make a return to the Test team to take on Sri Lanka from 16 November.
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