IND Vs BAN: "Reputation or World Cup?" Ravichandran Ashwin And Mohammad Shami Face Bold Questions From Ex-Chief Selector

Ravichandran Ashwin, the preeminent Indian cricketer, paradoxically remains a player frequently considered expendable. While Cheteshwar Pujara may come close to sharing this distinction, no other Indian player has experienced being dropped from the XI as repeatedly as Ashwin, even in the prime of his career.

Despite being the No.1-ranked bowler in Tests by a considerable margin and the leading active spinner globally, Ravichandran Ashwin’s role often seems precarious. The question that arises is whether his status as a bowler rather than a batsman influences this predicament.

The peculiarity of Ravichandran Ashwin’s situation is further highlighted by the fact that he has been in and out of white-ball cricket. He was omitted after the 2017 Champions Trophy, yet when India’s preference for two wrist spinners failed during the 2019 World Cup, they turned to Ravichandran Ashwin for the 2021 T20 World Cup.

His status as India’s primary spinner in the shortest format was reinstated. However, this pattern held until the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, where the team management opted to nurture a new generation of players, led by Hardik Pandya.

Nonetheless, Ravichandran Ashwin’s story took another intriguing turn. Initially excluded from the squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, he found himself in the XI for India’s opening match against Australia, courtesy of Axar Patel’s injury. Yet, his position in the XI remains far from guaranteed, as he did not feature in the subsequent two games, with Shardul Thakur preferred at No. 8.

Another player, Mohammed Shami, has ventured into a similar realm. Despite being India’s lead pacer not too long ago, Shami is yet to feature in this World Cup. His inclusion was last-minute, following Jasprit Bumrah’s absence from the T20 World Cup, despite not playing a single T20I in nearly a year.

Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Shami, both match-winners for India for around a decade, are no longer first-choice players in the XI, especially in ODIs. Ashwin’s selection hinges on specific conditions, while Shami’s absence is primarily due to team composition – India often opts for only two frontline fast bowlers and his inability to contribute valuable lower-order runs as Shardul can.

MSK Prasad Justifies The Indian Team’s Decisions For Ravichandran Ashwin And Mohammed Shami

According to former chief selector MSK Prasad, the team management’s decisions are justifiable. Their selections are not guided by reputation but by the need to win championships. Prasad believes that Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Shami understand and agree with these decisions, reflecting the camaraderie within the team. Prasad contends that the best XI for a particular day against a specific opponent is the primary objective, and this sometimes necessitates difficult choices.

“What the team management is doing is absolutely right. If the wickets are conducive for spinners, then playing Ashwin is a good choice if it’s a flat deck then someone like Shardul offers something with both and the ball becomes an option. As far as Shami is concerned, I think will only play when the team management feels they need to rest either Siraj or Bumrah. They are very well set with this kind of balance,” Prasad said ahead of India’s match against Bangladesh in Pune.

“If you ask Ashwin, he will also agree with the team management’s decision. Do we require to win the championship or do we go on reputation? If we go by reputation then Siraj shouldn’t be playing, Shami should. This team has great camaraderie. Everybody has accepted this combination.”

“As a fan, it pains me to see Shami sitting outside but if I’m thinking from the captain’s perspective, the decisions he is taking are fantastic ones. They are not going on reputation. They want to win the tournament by fielding the best possible XI on that particular day against that particular opposition,” he said.

While Shami’s situation regarding his rotation with Siraj and Bumrah can be understood, the question remains: why can’t Ravichandran Ashwin play instead of Shardul Thakur in every match? Indian pitches have demonstrated that an additional spinner can be advantageous. However, the answer lies in the conditions and opposition.

On batting-friendly tracks with short boundaries, an extra seamer proves more effective in containing runs compared to a finger spinner. Therefore, the team’s decision to select the playing XI depends on the conditions and opposition, making Ashwin’s role flexible but not guaranteed.