"Jadeja's batting form has been very good and that is why he has got the nod" - Ravichandran Ashwin on struggling for game time in overseas Tests
Team India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has reflected on his recent snubs when it comes to overseas Tests. The Men in Blue have often stuck with the four-seamer formula away from home, leading to a straight shootout between Ravindra Jadeja and Ashwin for the solitary spinner's spot, with the former being favored.
Ashwin was recently kept out of the playing XI for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at The Oval. There was a case to be made for Team India to play with two spinners, considering the history of the venue, but they stuck with the four-seamer and one-spinner approach and ended up losing the contest by 209 runs.
To make matters worse, Australia's frontline spinner Nathan Lyon was the pick of the bowlers in the second innings with four wickets to his name.
Admitting that Jadeja's improved batting ability has led him to become the automatic choice in overseas Tests, Ashwin said in an interview with the Times of India:
"It has so happened in recent times that the two quality spinners are Ravindra Jadeja and me and fortunately or unfortunately, both can bat. Jadeja's batting form has been very good and that is why he has got the nod."
Ashwin further stated that he does not pay much heed to the team's selection calls and instead focuses on being a positive presence in the dressing room when not playing.
"I can't put a finger and I don't want to try and find out why I got dropped because that is again not in my control…Ever since 2018-19, when I went through a mental and physical switch, I tried not to sit behind negativity. I have found myself in a state of contribution when I am in the dressing room," he explained.
"If my ego is too high, I become the biggest white elephant in the dressing-room and I don't want to become that. If I am playing, I am playing to win, if I am not, I cheer for India to win," Ashwin added.
Ashwin has spoken in-depth about missing out on the WTC final following India's loss. He then made a resounding statement in the two-match series against the West Indies recently, before featuring in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) and Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) division matches.
"The selection of the team is not my job" - Ravichandran Ashwin on not being in Team India's plans for the 2023 ODI World Cup
The veteran all-rounder was a surprise feature in Team India's plans for the 2022 T20 World Cup, which remains his last white-ball endeavor in national colors. Ashwin's last ODI appearance came during the tour of South Africa in early 2022, prior to which he last played in 2017.
The upcoming ODI World Cup will be played in the subcontinent, and a case can certainly be made for Ashwin given his experience and the shaky form of the other spinners in the squad. However, he is not thinking about being in the scheme of things for the World Cup.
"I don't think like that, because the selection of the team is not my job. I had decided long back that I would not think about stuff that is not in my hand. I am honestly in a very good space in terms of life and my cricket and I try to keep negativity away from my thought process," Ashwin said.
Ashwin added that he does wish for the Men in Blue to lift the title for the third time irrespective of his involvement in the team.
"I live for the day and I have no unfinished business. But it's true that I would love to see India winning the World Cup again, even if I am not playing," he added.
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