“I knew I was going to be left out 48 hours before” Ravichandran Ashwin breaks his silence after WTC final.

The ICC test rankings number one bowler Ravichandran Ashwin finally broke his silence about his non-inclusion in the team when India were taking on Australia in the WTC final. Indian cricket team was defeated by Australia in the WTC (2021-23) final with a dominant victory of 209 runs. India didn’t play with their number one test spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the final of the championship, that was unusual and hard to digest decision for various former cricketers and experts. India ended up on the losing side and questions on the playing XI intensified and Ashwin was the nucleus of the talk as despite being one of the best performers in the Test cricket format he was dropped from the playing XI, recently while giving interview to Indian express Ravichandran Ashwin expressed his take on him being not selected in the playing XI.

When he was asked about the WTC final and the criteria on which he was evaluated his answer was:

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,”

Ravichandran Ashwin answered

When he was asked about his performance on foreign soil he replied.

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,”

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,”

Ravichandran Ashwin added