R Ashwin has hit back at Michael Vaughan's remark that India are 'underachievers' and stated that the team has been one of the best travelling sides in Test cricket. 

Vaughan had made the comment during a panel discussion on FOX Cricket during the Australia vs Pakistan Test series. The former England skipper said that the Indian team has failed to find any success when it comes to major tournaments and labelled them as underachievers. 

Ashwin, who has been nominated for the ICC men's Test cricketer of the year, would respond to this remark on his YouTube channel and said while they haven't won any ICC trophy in the past few years, the Indian team has produced great results in Test cricket, especially while travelling. 

The spinner said that when experts from India started questioning if the team was an underachieving side, he felt like laughing. 

"Michael Vaughan made a statement after the first Test that India is an underachieving team. Yes, we haven't won ICC trophies for years. We call ourselves the powerhouses of the game. But the Test team has been one of the best travelling teams in the vicinity. We have seen many great results,"

"After he said that, so many experts from our own country started questioning if India is an underachieving team. Frankly, it made me laugh. Picture yourself. Just reverse the situation. SA batted first in this Test after winning the toss. If SA had batted first after winning the toss in Centurion, wasn't there a chance they could have gotten all out by 65? Even India was staring at the barrel at 20/3, thanks to Virat and Shreyas' partnership from there to save us." 

Ashwin further commented and felt that the critics of the Indian team do have a tendency to get into unnecessary details. The spinner feels that the Indian team has always proved that it is capable of making a comeback in a series, especially in the longest format of the game. 

"So, both cricket and Test cricket are differentiated by fine margins. In a country like India, where we talk cricket in every nook and cranny and consider the sport a religion, I feel we criticise and nitpick too much and get into unnecessary details. I think these are blinding us," said Ashwin.

"What we need to understand is that it is still a sport. The fact is that a quality cricket team with good mental fortitude and mental skills can make a comeback from wherever they are, and this Indian team has time and again proved it. Yes, we lost two WTC finals. I accept it wholeheartedly. But in the case of Test series, a comeback is always possible."

(With inputs from agencies)