Ravichandran Ashwin recently voiced concerns about India’s squad for the Champions Trophy. Since announcing his international retirement, the veteran cricketer has become increasingly active on social media, particularly on YouTube. Ashwin brought the curtain down on his distinguished career during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in December last year. In a recent statement, he strongly criticized the “celebrity culture” within the Indian team, emphasizing that cricketers should not be seen as actors or superstars but as athletes. The seasoned all-rounder also urged players to remain humble, suggesting that staying grounded would make them more relatable to the general public.
Normalizing Indian Cricket: Moving Beyond Superstardom. Ashwin has called for a shift in the way Indian cricketers are perceived, urging for a more grounded approach. Speaking on his Hindi YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat,’ he emphasized that cricketers should not be treated as superstars or celebrities. He stressed, “We are cricketers, not actors. We are sportspersons, and we should be figures that the common people can relate to and look up to.” Ashwin believes that the focus should shift from celebrity culture to normalizing the sport and keeping it accessible to the masses.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli: A Call for Team Focus Over Personal Achievements
Ashwin also shared his thoughts on the importance of prioritizing team goals over individual accolades. Using examples of cricketing giants Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, he highlighted that while these players have achieved tremendous success, every century they score should no longer be viewed as a personal achievement. “It should be business as usual,” he stated, urging that their focus should be on contributing to the team’s success, rather than celebrating personal milestones. Ashwin’s comments underscore the need for a collective mindset in the Indian team.
“Five spinners in Dubai? I’m not sure. I think we might have one spinner too many, if not two. The two left-arm spinners are your best all-rounders, along with Hardik Pandya. So, both Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja will play. Hardik will also be in the lineup, and Kuldeep will play too. If you want to include Varun Chakravarthy in the team, then one pacer would have to be left out, and Hardik would have to serve as your second pacer. Otherwise, you’ll have to drop a spinner to accommodate a third seamer,” Ashwin explained.
The Indian team, along with support staff members, departed for Dubai on Saturday, just five days before their opening match against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. India will play all of their matches in Dubai after deciding against traveling to Pakistan.