Indian off-spinner R Ashwin has defended coach Rahul Dravid and captain Virat Kohli in response to public criticism over their absence from the ODI series. Ashwin contends that people are hastily attributing blame without fully comprehending the team's current injury situation. The decision to leave Kohli and Rohit Sharma out in the year of the 50-over World Cup had drawn backlash from social media and some former cricketers.
Ashwin, during his YouTube channel discussion, mentioned the number of players currently recuperating at the NCA, including Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna, who both recently returned from injury. He emphasized that victory should never be taken for granted in international cricket.
The senior spinner expressed his surprise at public shock over India's loss to a non-World Cup-qualifying team and shared his views on the public perception of India's World Cup prospects. He believes people overestimate India's chances due to the IPL.
Despite losing the second ODI against the West Indies, India won the series 2-1. Ashwin commented on the globally influential 'Bazball' style of play popularized by England but warned that it might not suit India during this period of transition.
Pointing out cultural differences in the cricketing mindsets of India and England, Ashwin pondered the Indian public's likely reaction if the team adopted 'Bazball' tactics and then lost matches. He believes England's success with this style of play is due to full management support, player commitment, and fan backing - factors that may not be in place for India.
With the 2023 ICC World Cup scheduled to be held in India later this year, Ashwin urged fans to stay positive and supportive, stating that winning the World Cup is not a straightforward task and cannot be guaranteed by including or excluding certain players.
Regarding the Ashes series, where England fought back from a 2-0 deficit to level the series at 2-2, Ashwin speculated that Australia might have struggled due to the injury-led absence of veteran spinner Nathan Lyon.
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