Former India opener Aakash Chopra has reacted to ace spinner R Ashwin’s statement that now teammates are your colleagues and not friends. Ashwin, who was dropped from the WTC 2023 final by the Indian team, picked 12 wickets in the 1st Test against West Indies in Dominica.
Ashwin had expressed his disappointment at not being able to play in the final and made a rather interesting remark on the Indian dressing room.
“This is an era where everybody is a colleague. Once upon a time when cricket was played, all your teammates were friends. Now, they’re colleagues. There’s a big difference because here people are there to advance themselves and to stride ahead of another person sitting to your right or left. So nobody’s got the time to say, ‘okay, boss what are you up to’?” Ashwin told Indian Express.
Young Indian opener Prithvi Shaw, in an interview with Cricbuzz, shared the same sentiments.
When asked whom he open up to in the Indian team, he replied: "Everyone talks to each other. But opening up... hardly. At least, I've never opened up to anyone. Yes, all the mazaak-masti (fun and games) happen. But personal space used to be personal."
Now, Aakash Chopra has shared his two cents on this matter and gave an example of how Australian players didn’t like each other in the dressing room, but once on the ground, they backed each other no matter what.
“They (Australian team members) didn't really like each other as much, which is ok. But as soon as they crossed the boundary, they were unstoppable. It was almost impossible to stop them. A star-studded team that played for each other. It wasn't as if Ian Healy refused to catch on Shane Warne's delivery, or someone missed a run-out chance because they didn't like the other. Everybody was trying their best to make Australia win. And it isn't just one example, it happens with a lot of teams,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
“There aren't much friendships, it isn't like family. There's cut-throat competition but teams are successful. It isn't mandatory that teams will be successful with only a family-like atmosphere. Your teammates don't have to care a lot about your position in the team,” he added.
Chopra shared his example of playing for Delhi and stated that the dressing room atmosphere was not unfriendly but there was “healthy competition” between players.
In comparison, his experience with Rajasthan was the “happiest,” as Chopra insisted that players celebrated each other's successes more than their own.
