Ravichandran Ashwin has been named to the Indian Test squad for the West Indies series. The experienced off-spinner was chosen for the next red ball series in the Caribbean alongside fellow spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.
The selectors also sacked Cheteshwar Pujara as his dismal form persisted in the WTC Final, and reappointed Ajinkya Rahane as vice-captain for the West Indies series.’
Rahane, who has revitalized his India career, made the WTC team due to injuries to Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, but he emerged as the finest batter in the WTC Final against Australia. He was India’s top scorer in the match and looked in great form in both innings, earning him a spot on the Caribbean tour.
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Rahane’s selection may not be a foregone conclusion, but his replacement for Rohit Sharma in Tests has raised some doubts. Despite Rahane’s stellar record as India captain, his selection as vice-captain ahead of Ravichandran Ashwin is rather surprising.
Ashwin has previous captaincy experience with IPL and TNPL sides, and with a combination of aggression and game understanding, the off spinner can be an ideal foil for Rohit Sharma. But, once again, the selectors denied him the opportunity for a prospective leadership role, but why?
Many explanations can be found if we investigate Ashwin’s constant rejection from leadership jobs. Let’s have a look at them-
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Ashwin is ‘not a regular’ in Overseas
Despite being a fixture in the game, Ravichandran Ashwin recently found himself out of place in the international Test matches. All four of the off-spinner’s Test appearances in the West Indies took place in 2016. Ashwin’s appointment as vice-captain may have been complicated by the fact that Team India may only take one spinner to the Caribbean.
However, Ashwin’s versatility makes him a player who can be used for both bowling and batting. It is therefore puzzling why India could be attracted to field a team that does not include the Tamil Nadu player.
How did Ashwin do in those 4 Test matches in the West Indies, for those who are interested? In four innings, he batted with an average of 58.75 and achieved 235 runs, including two hundreds, while taking 17 wickets with the ball.
Ashwin’s Latest Interview Takes a Jab at the Team Atmosphere
Ashwin was left out of the Indian team for the World Test Championship final versus Australia. India was defeated in the match, and the off-spinner vented his disappointment in an interview afterward. Along with his disappointment, the player also made a jab at Team India’s atmosphere.
“We live in a time where everyone is a colleague. When I used to play cricket, all of my teammates were pals. They are now coworkers. “There’s a big difference because people are there to advance themselves and stride ahead of someone sitting to your right or left,” Ashwin recently told Indian Express.
“This is an era where everybody is a colleague. Once upon a time when cricket was played, all your teammates were friends. Now, they’re colleagues. There’s a big difference because here people are there to advance themselves and to stride ahead of another person sitting to your right or left,” Ashwin recently told Indian Express.
Has this interview hurt his chances of being named vice-captain of the Indian team in the West Indies? It’s plausible.
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