Ashwin was benched for the WTC 2023 final against Australia.
Veteran India off-spinner R Ashwin revealed that he knew he was not going to be picked in the playing XI for the recent World Test Championship (WTC 2023) final against Australia 48 hours before the match began.
World No. 1 Test bowler Ashwin said he was keen on playing the big game and making a contribution to the team against Australia, a team against whom he has had plenty of success both at home and away from home.
Although Ashwin was a crucial component in India's qualification to the WTC 2023 final, he claimed he was mentally prepared to assist the team in any way possible and ensure that they go on to win the championship.
As India entered the WTC 2023 final with 4 pacers and a lone spinner in Ravindra Jadeja, Ashwin was not selected. Even though Ashwin had helped India defeat Australia at home, the off-spinner was not selected for the starting lineup.
Previously, he participated in the WTC 2021 final in Birmingham against New Zealand, but he did not play in any of India's games during their tour of England in 2021–2022, as India had success with a combination of four pacers and one spinner.
"... 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 well. 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 defense.
So the last time 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,” Ashwin told Indian Express.
As part of his explanation of how he dealt with the disappointment of missing the important final, Ashwin said that when he sent out a tweet immediately following the final as he wanted closure, congratulating his teammates and the members of the support staff on their journey to the final, which India lost by 209 runs.
"The moment, the final finished I put out a tweet because I realized one thing is that I need closure. The moment I get the closure I can move on. There is no time to hang around. I have understood life a lot better now," Ashwin said.
Ashwin said he has always been humbled by his interactions with legendary players and that it made him happy when they told him that he was good enough to play in England.
"I am 36 years old and honestly, what triggers you what gives you happiness, it changes. Yeah, every time, I get a text message from some of the former senior cricketers, I always get excited and immediately respond. That’s because of how I have seen them as a youngster.
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," he added.
Ashwin is currently playing in the TNPL 2023, leading the Dindigul Dragons.
(Indian Express inputs)