Virat Kohli Drops Ravichandran Ashwin: Cricketing World Feels There Is A Feud Between Two

It is August and Ravichandran Ashwin is yet to play a single international game this year. The India off-spinner has already fallen down the pecking order in ODIs and T20Is and his Test career seems to be heading in the same direction. But while his axing from the limited-overs format could be justified to some extent, his treatment in the Tests is not at all justified.

It should be remembered that Ashwin is one of the India’s greatest match-winners in Tests. Ravichandran Ashwin holds the Indian record for Man-of-the-Series awards, and only six Indians have won more match awards than him. His overall record in Test cricket is also very impressive. In 65 Tests so far, he has 342 wickets at 25.43 and 2361 runs at 29.14. He is the fastest in the world to both 250 and 300 Test wickets.

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But his records made little difference as India once again benched him for the ongoing first Test against West Indies in Antigua. Instead of Ashwin, India went for Ravindra Jadeja, much to everyone’s surprise. Ashwin’s record against West Indies is truly remarkable.

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In the 2016 Test series over there, Ashwin picked up 17 wickets in four matches with one game almost washed out. He had picked up a 7-for in the very first Test of that series. He had also scored two centuries to bag the Man of the Series award. Overall, In 11 Tests against West Indies, Ashwin has taken 60 wickets at 21.85, and has scored four hundreds to give him an average of over 50.

No surprises then that cricketing world is finding it tough to deal with Ashwin’s exclusion. And now many think that there is a feud between Ashwin and Virat Kohli. Even former England opener Nick Compton feels that all is not well between Kohli and Ashwin. The reports of the feud between the two is nothing new and many think that it is the reason behind Ashwin’s axing.

Here are some of the reactions: 

What is going on with Ashwin… clearly a personal difference between him and Kohli?

— Nick Compton (@thecompdog) August 22, 2019

There are supposedly personal differences with Rohit as well Nick! Not sure how many players a captain will have to go through to get an XI with just guys he gets along with! And perhaps just 3 left handers in WI XI make a case for Jadeja as lone spinner, but I’m with you..

— Raunak Kapoor (@RaunakRK) August 22, 2019

World cup loss
Ravi shastri head coach again
Kohli captain again
Same team shuffling
Ashwin didn't get a chance to play.
Jonty too didn't become fielding coach
In my life I never felt like this about Indian cricket. Indian cricket team is revolving around Single person. #WIvIND

— sandeepvvs (@SandeepAutocrat) August 22, 2019

Virat Kohli has some issues with some of the IPL captains
R Ashwin
Dinesh Karthik
Rohit Sharma
Shreyas Iyer
?

— Aayushi Rathi?? (@AayushiRathi10) August 22, 2019

Virat Kohli is doing so much of politics in Indian cricket team that he has made me afraid to think that he'll join Congress later this year

*Dropped Ash, Kuldeep and rohit for no reasons*

????? #Ashwin #WivsInd

— Ayush Aman #AshwinBhaktForever (@AyushAsh99_23) August 23, 2019

#Ashwin Dropping Ashwin is serious blunder. Ravi and Kohli now wants to destroy people s careers. #INDvsWI

— Neeraj krishna (@neekri) August 22, 2019

@imVkohli A player of Ashwin’s caliber being insulted is baffling.@BCCI Why can’t you trim Kohli of his ego and arrogance.What makes him think he is an automatic choice and champion players like ashwin and @ImRo45 had to sit out.For god sake get rid off Ravi Shastri #Ashwin

— Krishnaraj Subramaniam (@KrishnarajS01) August 22, 2019

R Ashwin has been dropped. Virat Kohli clearly doesn’t understand his importance.

Australia & England are fighting for some Ash. #INDvWI

— Shridhar V (@iimcomic) August 22, 2019

Not at all, Kohli not only has a feudnwith Rohit, he also has it with Ashwin, it all came to the foreground in India's tour or Australia

— Shivinder Singh (@sh1v1nder) August 22, 2019

I'm usually totally against "conspiracy theories" but I do feel that the only reason Ashwin is not playing this test, or at a larger level, not playing ODIs, is because Kohli and Shastri see him as a threat.

— Ramesh Srivats (@rameshsrivats) August 22, 2019

When we created fantasy leagues for IPL, ICC, & Fandromeda, we spent much time figuring out equivalence between batting & bowling (for the points system). In tests, a 4-wicket haul = century by batsman. Ashwin has 42 four-wicket hauls in 65 tests. That's Bradman level. @ABVan

— Ramesh Srivats (@rameshsrivats) August 22, 2019

Kohli's revenge saga continues #ashwin

— cricky (@Crickosaurus) August 22, 2019

Virat Kohli is selfish captain
?% verified..
Rohit and Ashwin is not in the playing 11… This is terrible… #INDvsWI

— Mani ᴷᵃᵃᵖᵖᵃᵃⁿ ᴼⁿ ˢᵉᵖᵗ ²⁰ (@ManiRohit10) August 22, 2019

The real rift is actually between Kohli and Ashwin

— (Short Third Man) Elixir Of Azazel (@vyatikram188) August 22, 2019

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