The quality of a player won’t change overnight – Ravichandran Ashwin makes a massive remark on selection for the Indian team

Recently, as part of the World Test Championship Final, the cricketing fraternity was divided on the topic of Ravichandran Ashwin’s exclusion from India’s playing XI vs Australia in the summit clash. While one side of the debate was explaining why he was omitted, the other side to it was a shell-shocked reaction to the management omitting the No.1 Test bowler from the XI for such a big occasion. 

However, with all said and done, being in and out of a playing XI is part of a cricketer’s life and considering the team's stature and conditions, many questionable decisions have been taken in the past as well.

Ashwin, though, recently said in an interview that while he was taken back by the Indian team’s decision to warm the benches, there’s never a doubt that his passion for representing team India at the slightest of opportunities will never die down. That said, the captaincy debate is another hotly discussed topic in the Indian cricket circuit with recent results in view, and Ashwin shed light on what made MS Dhoni all the more successful.

Throwing light on Dhoni’s captaincy, Ashwin said, “A lot of us talk about MSD’s leadership. So, what does MS (Dhoni) do? He kept it very simple. Under the MS regime I played, he will pick a squad of 15. The same squad of 15, and 11 will play throughout the year. That security is very important for a player.”

He further added, “It’s understandable that there’s a furore in India that we haven’t won an ICC Trophy in 10+ years. I empathise with fans. But the reactive social media message asking this player to be dropped, that player to be dropped, this player to be included. See, the quality of a player won’t change overnight.”

He concluded by talking about reaching the WTC finals twice, adding, “On the WTC final, two (times) runners-up for me (India) in WTC. A bit disappointed, but going to the finals itself is a good achievement because it’s been played over a period of two years. So, I’m glad we did that.”