When asked if he sought assistance or had a candid chat with any of his colleagues, Ashwin’s immediate response was, “It’s a deep topic.”
Ravichandran Ashwin has had a difficult time. Despite being the No. 1 Test bowler and one of the top ten wicket takers in Test history, Ashwin was overlooked for the World Test Championship final against Australia earlier this month, which came as a tremendous shock to the great spinner. In such moments, people generally seek support from peers in the same profession, most likely on the same team, in addition to family. When asked about it, Ashwin revealed a sad truth of Indian cricket in the aftermath of the WTC final rejection.
Ashwin was passed over in favour of Umesh Yadav for the major final against Australia at The Oval last week, a move that enraged seasoned cricketers who slammed captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid. And the decision was extensively debated following India’s second consecutive WTC final victory by 209 runs.
When questioned in an interview with news source whether he sought assistance or had a candid discussion with any of his colleagues, Ashwin’s immediate response was, “It’s a deep topic.” He added that because of the intense rivalry for every position in the team, the term “friendship” have taken a back seat in the Indian dressing room.
“We live in a time where everyone is a coworker. When I used to play cricket, all of my teammates were pals. They are now coworkers. There is a significant difference since individuals are there to advance themselves and step ahead of someone seated to your right or left. So nobody has time to say, ‘OK, boss, what are you up to?'” he explained.
While it is beneficial to the team when players share their technique and journey, Ashwin believes that this does not occur in the Indian squad. “It’s an isolated journey,” he summarised.
“In fact, I believe cricket improves when it is shared.” It improves when you grasp another person’s technique and path. But it doesn’t happen anywhere near as frequently as it should. Nobody will come to you for assistance. It’s a lonely voyage. Of course, you may contact any expert you like, contact a coach, pay and go, practise, attempt to feed them and so on. “However, we sometimes forget that cricket is a very self-taught sport,” he adds.
Moving on from Test cricket, and with India not playing any international cricket until mid-July, Ashwin has turned his attention to the Tamil Nadu Premier League, where he is presently leading the Dindigul Dragons in the 2023 season.
