<img title="R Ashwin" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2017/feb/ashwinfive-5.jpg" alt="R Ashwin" width="670" height="536" /> R Ashwin. File Pic
Former Australia batsman Brad Hodge had last week made a bizarre insinuation, suggesting that Indian captain Virat Kohli, who missed the fourth Test in Dharamsala due to an injury, could be saving himself for the cash-rich IPL starting next month.
Hodge on Wednesday apologised to Kohli and Indian cricket fans for his comments.
Ravichandran Ashwin on Thursday took a dig at the Gujarat Lions coach, after he was forced to apologise to Kohli for his allegation.
<img title="Brad Hodge" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/may/HODGE.jpg" alt="Brad Hodge" width="670" height="652" /> Brad Hodge
Once it was clear that Kohli will be out for a few weeks, Hodge issued a public apology knowing fully well that his riches from the IPL could be severely affected for maligning India's most popular cricket icon.
Ashwin did not take Hodge's name but his sarcastic tweet made it clear as to whom he was referring.
"On a lighter note, from this year onwards 30th march will be remembered as world apology day.??," Ashwin tweeted. His tweet got over 1,500 retweets and above 6000 likes.
<img title="Virat Kohli nursing his wounded shoulder. File Pic" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2017/mar/27Virat-kohli.jpg" alt="Virat Kohli nursing his wounded shoulder. File Pic" width="670" height="682" />Virat Kohli nursing his wounded shoulder. File Pic
The 28-year-old Kohli had on Tuesday said that it would take him a few weeks to be 100 percent fit. He leads the Bangalore side but is likely to miss the start of the IPL when his team take on defending champions Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Hodge was heavily criticised in India for his comments and opted to address the situation on social media.
HERE'S ASHWIN'S TWEET:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
On a lighter note, from this year onwards 30th march will be remembered as world apology day.&eth;&Acirc;&Acirc;&Acirc;&Acirc;&Acirc;&Acirc;u00c2u009f&Acirc;&Acirc;&Acirc;&Acirc;&Acirc;&Acirc;u00c2u0098&Acirc;&Acirc;&Acirc;&Acirc;&Acirc;&Acirc;u00c2u0082
&mdash; Ashwin Ravichandran (@ashwinravi99) <a href="https://twitter.com/ashwinravi99/status/847311764794384386">March 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
HERE'S HODGE'S APOLOGY:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://t.co/JHtVhXH7FH">pic.twitter.com/JHtVhXH7FH</a>
&mdash; Brad Hodge (@bradhodge007) <a href="https://twitter.com/bradhodge007/status/847179312952352768">March 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
HODGE WAS BACKTRACKING EVEN BEFORE APOLOGISING:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I have enormous admiration for <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli">@imVkohli</a>. I envy his leadership, cricket talent and passion he shows in all forms of cricket.
&mdash; Brad Hodge (@bradhodge007) <a href="https://twitter.com/bradhodge007/status/846489003637407749">March 27, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
My question was not of@imVkohli but other cricketers who have put Ipl before there country. Reason: <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL">@IPL</a> is the best tournament in the world
&mdash; Brad Hodge (@bradhodge007) <a href="https://twitter.com/bradhodge007/status/846490763902935040">March 27, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
This is what Hodge had said:
<img title="Virat Kohli and (inset) Brad Hodge" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2017/mar/Virat-kohli-hodge.jpg" alt="Virat Kohli and (inset) Brad Hodge" /> Virat Kohli and (inset) Brad Hodge
Hodge, the coach of IPL side Gujarat Lions, said it would be "pretty dirty" of Kohli if he turned out for the IPL opening match as Royal Challengers Bangalore captain against David Warner's Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 5.
"You'd hope as a sportsman that he's seriously injured. I'm hopeful, as a Gujarat Lions coach, that when we play RCB in a couple of weeks, that he's not playing," Hodge was quoted by 'Daily Telegraph' as having told Fox Sports News' Gameday Live.
"Because if you miss one game of Test match cricket and you're fronting up the next week for RCB versus whoever, Bangalore, at Chinnaswamy Stadium -- you'd be pretty dirty if he did not front up to a Test match and try and win a valuable series against Australia -- which has been pretty spiteful as well," said Hodge who played five Tests and 25 ODIs between 2005 and 2008. "You would think that your captain would get out there and get among the fight and get in there."
Hodge hoped the Indian skipper would not turn out to be like the many cricketers who have "limped" into the lucrative IPL.
"It's happened before. Not just Virat but there's many players that have come up to IPL time and ... look, we know it's a cash rich tournament, there's some money up for grabs. "He (Kohli) gets paid a helluva lot of money, he gets paid a helluva lot of money anyway, so it does not matter, but there are certain players that will limp in, to IPL time, to make sure they get there and perform well, because it is an important tournament for everyone around the world."

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Offie R Ashwin took a dig at former Australian batsman Brad Hodge for his apology to Indian skipper Virat Kohli, saying March 30 will be remembered as 'World Apology Day'

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