‘Overthinking tag was created to work against me’ – Star Indian bowler makes scathing statement over being denied of leadership role

India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has touched upon some interesting issues that he has faced in this career. One of them was the ‘Overthinking’ tag he has been given. Notably, in the last couple of years, Ashwin hasn’t played a Test match in England since the WTC final 2021 against New Zealand. Not to forget, the two-time World Champion wasn’t included in the 2023 final.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu player said that a lot of people have marketed him as an overthinker. He added that he doesn’t get the assurance of playing 15 games on the trot and being looked after.

“A lot of people marketed me and positioned me that I am an overthinker. A person who will get 15-20 matches on the go doesn’t have to be mentally overthinking. A person who knows that they will get only two games will be traumatised and will be overthinking because it’s my job. It’s my journey. So this is what suits me. If somebody is going to tell me, ‘you’re going to play 15 matches, you will be looked after, you will be this, you are responsible for players, you are in the leadership role, I won’t be overthinking. Why would I?”

“It’s unfair to actually say somebody’s an overthinker because that person’s journey is his own. And nobody has a right or business to do that,” Ashwin said in an interview with The Indian Express.

The overthinking image was created against me: Ravichandran Ashwin

The off-spinner further added that the infamous ‘Overthinking’ tag was created to work against him to deny his India captaincy. Notably, after Virat Kohli gave up his Test captaincy, Ashwin’s name wasn’t even considered.

“It was created to work against me, right? And as I said, there have been statements that people have made all along when leadership question has come my way, there have been people who are been out there telling, my name is not the first name of the sheet when India tour abroad.