The exclusion of World No. 1 Test bowler Ravichandran Ashwin from the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final playing XI has been the talking topic since Indian captain Rohit Sharma announced the team for the Ultimate Test on June 7. It’s been a few days since India lost to Australia by 209 runs at The Oval, and still, the topic of discussion about Ashwin’s shocking snub is not over among the cricket fraternity as it was one of the reasons why India lost the game.
Ashwin is a nightmare for left-handers, which is one of the main reasons his exclusion from the final feels illogical as Australia had five left-handers, including Player of the Match winner Travis Head. Apart from bowling, the 36-year-old can also contribute with his bat, which is why he ranks second in the list of all-rounders.
Ashwin’s omission from the playing XI was questioned by former cricketers and pundits, who called it a tactical blunder. However, the off-spinner has now opened up about it, saying it was not a setback but a “stumbling block” in his career.
“For me, it’s not a setback. It’s just a stumbling block, I’ll move on because I have gone through that. When somebody knocks you down for the first time, you have a knee-jerk reaction. I think you should be knocked down once in a while along your life so that you are used to it and will know how to bounce back,” Ashwin said.
I knew I was going to be left out 48 hours before: Ravichandran Ashwin
Ashwin played a crucial role in India reaching the final. The right-arm spinner has over 470 Test wickets and was the third-leading wicket-taker in the 2021-2023 WTC cycle. The office also said that he was aware of his exclusion 48 hours before.
“I would have loved to play because I have played a part in us getting there. Even in the last final I got four wickets and bowled really well. Ever since 2018-19, my bowling overseas has been fantastic and I have managed to win games for the team. I am looking at it as a captain or coach and I’m just talking in hindsight, in their defence.”
“But the fact of the matter is, I couldn’t get an opportunity or the world title. I knew I was going to be left out 48 hours before. So, for me, my entire goal was to make sure I can contribute to the guys and help us win a title because I played a part in it,” he added.
Here’s how fans reacted to Ravichandran Ashwin opening up about his omission from WTC 2023 final playing XI:
He would have scored a fifty atleast…apart from his bowling
— Abhishek Mohata (@MAbhi12) June 15, 2023
It was the team’s loss not yours !! Keep rocking champ !!
— Adithya?? (@adisrini88) June 15, 2023
If ashwin would have played then there would have been some sort of pressure on aussies mind but what can we say to indian management
— sanatani guy ???? (@NikhilR55150652) June 15, 2023
feeling bad for ash anna??
— ?????? ???? (@haryanvi008) June 15, 2023
Not playing @ashwinravi99 in such a big game defied cricketing as well as strategic logic. You play your best bowler, irrespective of conditions. And how can we ignore Aussies who had so many lefties!
— Sumit Agarwal ?? (@sumitagarwal_IN) June 15, 2023
I can't wait for Ashwin's Tell All book releasing in 2031.
— Fahad K?? (@AllAboutFKK) June 15, 2023
Dream should come true , But Time to move on !!
— Vineet Joshi (@BonafideVJ) June 15, 2023
Wouldn’t have made much difference even if he had played, our main problem was batting
— Sourabh Deshkulkarni (@DkSourabh) June 15, 2023
Vadapav ko lena chahiye tha team me ashwin ko
— SS (@viratss01) June 15, 2023
