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Ashwin Backs Gambhir's Team-First Ethos, Highlights India's Test Bowling Concern

Ravichandran Ashwin has publicly supported head coach Gautam Gambhir's philosophy of prioritizing the team over individuals. He reflected on realizing his time with the Indian team was up during the Perth Test against Australia. Ashwin dismissed social media criticism suggesting senior players like himself, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli were pushed into retirement. He concluded that while India will produce batters, the effectiveness of the bowling is the main concern for the Test team in transition.

Key Points: Ashwin Praises Gambhir, Highlights India's Test Cricket Issue

  • Ashwin endorses Gambhir's team-first philosophy
  • Reflects on Perth Test as retirement realization point
  • Dismisses narrative of forced senior retirements
  • Identifies bowling as primary concern for Test team
3 min read

"More to Indian cricket than just two people": Ashwin hails Gambhir's team-over-individual approach, highlights India's issue of concern in Tests

R Ashwin hails Gautam Gambhir's team-over-individual approach, reflects on his retirement, and points to bowling as India's key Test concern.

"There is more to Indian cricket than just a couple of people. - Ravichandran Ashwin"

Kolkata, March 17

Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin hailed Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir's team-over-individual approach, his bonding with now ODI-exclusive stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and where the current Team India lacks in Test cricket.

Ashwin, the spin icon with 537 Test scalps in 106 Tests, reflected on his retirement, leadership within the Indian team and the future of Test cricket while speaking at RevSportz's Trailblazers 4.0.

Ashwin opened up about the moment he realised his time with the Indian team had come to an end.

"At Perth (the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25), I was the senior bowler. Washi played that Test, and I realised that my time was up," he said.

Following the second Test at Brisbane last year, a pink-ball match where he scored 22 and 7 and took a wicket, Ashwin pulled down the curtains on his Team India career, having taken 765 across all formats for Men in Blue and scoring 4,394 runs, including six centuries and 15 fifties in 233 innings. A part of the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and 2013 ICC Champions Trophy winning teams, Ashwin bowed out of the game as one of India's finest all-rounders with a glorious 15-year-long career.

His retirement after the Brisbane Test triggered criticism directed at the team management, especially after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli also stepped away following the series. Head coach Gautam Gambhir faced trolling on social media amid suggestions that senior players had been pushed towards retirement. Ashwin, however, dismissed that narrative and backed Gambhir's approach.

"I like Gautam, and many people may have different opinions about him, but he is someone who always puts the team ahead of individuals," Ashwin said. "He credits the team, not individuals, and that's something I admire," he added.

Ashwin also spoke about the culture within the Indian dressing room and the importance of looking beyond individual stars.

"There is more to Indian cricket than just a couple of people," he said.

Reflecting on his long association with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Ashwin highlighted the bond within the group during their years together.

"The best part about us was that none of us blamed each other. We all wanted India to win and make the country proud. We were motivated to do that," he said.

Ashwin also shared his views on the challenges facing the Indian Test team during the ongoing transition.

"The team is in transition. Playing against spin is a problem, but for me, batting is not that big an issue. We will produce batters. Bowling is not as effective as batting, and that is where the concern lies," he concluded.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Respect to Ashwin for such a graceful exit and for defending Gambhir. The social media trolling was unnecessary. We should celebrate our legends' careers instead of creating conspiracy theories about their retirement. His point about bowling being a bigger concern than batting is very true.
R
Rohit P
While I agree with the team spirit, let's be honest, individual brilliance *does* win you big matches. Players like Kohli and Bumrah have saved us countless times. We need a balance. You can't just build a team of "good" players; you need match-winners too.
S
Sarah B
As a cricket fan living abroad, it's refreshing to hear this perspective. Often, the international media narrative is all about the star players. Ashwin highlighting the collective effort and the silent workers in the team is a much-needed correction. The future looks interesting!
V
Vikram M
His concern about bowling is the real headline. We have promising batters like Jaiswal, Gill, Pant. But where are the next-gen Ashwins and Shamis? The domestic circuit needs to produce quality pace and spin bowlers urgently. That's our real test (pun intended).
M
Meera T
"We all wanted India to win and make the country proud." This line says everything. That era of Kohli, Rohit, Ashwin, Jadeja... they played with so much passion for the flag. I hope the new players inherit that same fire. Wishing Ashwin Anna a happy retirement! 🙏

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