Sachin Tendulkar, the renowned cricket legend, expressed his bewilderment at the exclusion of senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin from India's playing XI in the World Test Championship final. Tendulkar emphasized that a spinner of Ashwin's caliber does not rely solely on conducive conditions to showcase his effectiveness.
In the WTC final, Australia dominated India with a comprehensive 209-run victory. Coach Rahul Dravid justified Ashwin's absence by citing the overcast conditions that compelled the team to opt for a fourth specialist seamer, especially considering the presence of five left-handed batsmen in the opposition lineup.
Throughout the five days of the match, bright sunshine prevailed, and Australia amassed a formidable total of 469 runs in their first innings, effectively shutting the doors on India's chances.
Expressing his surprise, Tendulkar took to Twitter to express his thoughts, questioning the decision to exclude Ashwin from the playing XI. Tendulkar highlighted that Ashwin currently holds the top spot as the number one Test bowler in the world, making his absence even more perplexing.
Tendulkar further emphasized that he found it difficult to believe that a bowler of Ashwin's caliber could not be utilized in conditions that favored seamers. He reiterated his earlier statement that skillful spinners do not solely rely on turning tracks but instead utilize variations in drift and bounce to deceive the batsmen. Tendulkar also noted that Australia had five left-handed batsmen among their top eight, making Ashwin's potential impact even more significant. It is worth mentioning that Ashwin had an impressive record, claiming 61 wickets in 13 Tests during the two-year cycle of the second edition of the World Test Championship.
(With Inputs From PTI)