CWC 2023 Analysis: It is tough being Ravichandran Ashwin in the current situation that he finds himself in. You are one of the best off-spinners India has produced. And, on the cusp of a significant milestone of 500 Test Match wickets. You are also a World Cup winner, a part of only the second Indian team to win that prize, which many World cricketers consider the pinnacle of international cricket. And despite boasting a CV that is sure to be the envy of many, he still somehow finds himself at the periphery at this very moment.
There are two sides to this Ashwin coin. On one side is the school of thought that he should be an automatic selection in major tournaments. Not only because of the wealth of experience he brings to the table. But also because of his ability to adapt to the situation in front of him. That is, despite the conditions that are present for the game. His in-game smarts are enough to make up for any issues he faces in the battle against the conditions.
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However, another school believes that Ashwin is the one who will always make way for the next in line. It’s because of his advanced age. And because India is still grooming the next batch of spinners who have time on their side. But in a year where there were two major events to compete for, one of which had the men in blue start as hot favorites, was it sensible to keep your most experienced spinner on the sidelines running the drinks?
India played in the World Test Championship Final and the World Cup- two marquee events in the space of 5 months. Ashwin was a part of the squad in both of those events. But in the 12 games that were played in these two events, he was only afforded the chance to play a solitary game. This was the campaign opener vs Australia in Chennai at the World Cup. In two tournaments where the focus should be on the here and now, benching Ashwin in both seems a little harsh on the player.
It brings the question of why pick the player if you do not play him regularly. Take the World Cup for instance. The BCCI and the team management led by Rohit Sharma selected him for the Australia series before the World Cup. This happened to be the first ODI action that Ashwin had after a gap of 6 years.
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If you were already inclined to bench him for most of the games in the tournament, why bring him into the fold in the first place? It makes little sense not only from a sporting perspective. But also from a human angle too. He was rumored to start the Finals on Sunday. And it seemed like he would too, based on the intensity of his warmups and the practice sessions on the main pitch. But then a last-minute U-turn meant that it was Siraj who kept his place.
While Ashwin has been nothing but professional throughout this phase, you cannot help but wonder whether he does harbor a slight feeling of injustice. It just doesn’t sit right with fans who care about the TEAM, more than individual players and brands.
There is a stark change in the way Ashwin has been utilized throughout the course of his career. While Dhoni used him as a key member of the side and the bowler around whom the spin attack was built, it has now changed to a horses-for-courses approach under the latter leaders of the Indian side. While Ashwin has continued to do what he does best in the most resounding of ways, maybe an apology is due!!
This is somewhere sheerly due to the underutilization of such a great servant for Indian Cricket. One, who could walk into the starting 11’s of any other side in World Cricket. At least, we at Beyond The Posts want to say, THANK YOU R ASHWIN!!
