‘My bowling overseas was fantastic…’: Ashwin breaks silence on WTC Final snub

Team India faced a disappointing defeat in the final of the World Test Championship to Australia last week; the side conceded a massive 209-run loss at The Oval.

Despite India’s poor performance in the game, however, one of the major talking points – even after the match – was the exclusion of star India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin from the playing XI. Ashwin – currently the top-ranked bowler in the format – didn’t find a place in the side due to different conditions in England.

Regardless, many former cricketers including India’s legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar expressed their shock over Ashwin being excluded. And now, the off-spinner himself has broken silence over the same, as he talked in detail about the much-publicised playing XI decision.

During an interview with Indian Express, when Ashwin was asked on whether he is evaluated on skills other than the primary ones – that of being a spinner – the star India bowler spoke about the WTC Final.

“It’s a hard question to answer, right? Because we are standing right after the WTC Final. 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,” said Ashwin.

“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. So the last time when we were in England, it was 2-2 with a drawn Test and they would have felt 4 pacers and 1 spinner is the combination in England. That is what they might have thought going into the final.

“The problem is for a spinner to come into play, it must be the fourth innings. The fourth innings is a very crucial facet and for us to be able to put that amount of runs so the spinner can come into play, it’s completely a mindset thing,” Ashwin said.

Ashwin was the player of the series when Australia toured India earlier this year for the Border-Gavaskar trophy; he had picked 25 wickets in four matches. The spinner was happy with the support he received from the former players after the snub in the WTC Final, but insisted that eventually, he missed out on an opportunity to help India achieve an ICC title.

“I am 36 years old and honestly, what triggers you what gives you happiness, it changes. Yeah, every time, I get a text message from some of the former senior cricketers, I always get excited and immediately respond. That’s because of how I have seen them as a youngster.

:I felt happy they thought I was good enough to play. 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,” Ashwin said.