Ravi Ashwin dropped from playing XI: India and England cricket team are locking their horns against each other in the series opener of the ongoing five-match Test series at Nottingham. This series is extremely important for both sides as this is the first assignment for both teams in their new World Test Championship (WTC) campaign.
Ahead of the series opener match today, senior spinner and bowling legend Ravichandran Ashwin was dropped from the Indian playing XI. The Indian cricket team has picked only one spinner and Ravindra Jadeja made the cut ahead of Ashwin in the playing squad.
Apart from Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj have also made it to the Indian playing XI.
Ravi Ashwin has emerged out to be the team’s premier spinners. Over the years, he has taken wickets in a cluster and has gone to become the second-fastest player to take 400 Test wickets. He was expected to play a crucial role in the ongoing series against England as well.
The legendary spinner also played for Surrey in County Cricket to prepare for the ongoing series, however, he was dropped from the squad. Ashwin only gave away just 2 runs from the first over of the match bowled to Somerset openers, Devon Conway and Steven Davies. He also went on to dismiss the wicket of No.3 batsman Tom Lammonby for 42 runs in the 40th over. He had figures of 1 for 58 from 24 overs before the players broke for tea.
Meanwhile, the decision has failed to impress everyone. From cricketers, experts to fans, everyone took to their social media to express their disappointment with the decision of dropping Ravi Ashwin from the Indian squad.
Among many, former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer and former England skipper Michael Vaughan wondered why Ashwin was not selected in the Indian playing XI.
Here, check out the reactions of twitterati on this:
No Ashwin?! #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/JC3buwzdH6
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) August 4, 2021
Wow … No @ashwinravi99 !!!! #ENGvIND
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) August 4, 2021
Ashwin and Ishant dropped. What, why, how !!!!!!. #ENGvIND
— Indrnill Bharti (@BhartiIndrnill) August 4, 2021
Ind vs Eng ! Today’s clanger, Ravi Ashwin gone. The empire strikes, I m sure they are too arrogant to regret that , but it will hurt !
— Ramanujam Sridhar (@RamanujamSri) August 4, 2021
Ashwin, the only player with some serious practice in the last few weeks has been dropped from the team. ?
?
— Unnati Madan (@unnati_madan) August 4, 2021
?Kohli’s team selection is going pathetic day by day.
Leaving out Ashwin, only bowler who seems to take wickets when chips are down, your best spinner & one who can contribute when top 5-6 fail.
This is nothing but bizzare!#INDvENG
— Sachin Saraf (@sachin434) August 4, 2021
Want Ashwin to comeback and score more runs than Rahane in upcoming test. Period !!#ENGvIND
— ????? ????? ?? (@Cricket_genes) August 4, 2021
Thakur over Ashwin whatever
— DK (@DarkKnightRised) August 4, 2021
Hope we lose and this nibba gets ashwin in
— Sidd (@downtheground__) August 4, 2021
Virat Kohli and his logic of team selection…..again….It’s not that Ashwin cannot bat…remember Sydney and Chennai ….recently ? But but…. https://t.co/JEtUWOZhk4
— Tejas Modi (@tejasjmodi) August 4, 2021
Why is ishant and ashwin not playing today in this test are they not fully fit
— varunmalhotra (@varunma14103183) August 4, 2021
Ashwin is dropped because Stokes is not playing! #ENGvIND
— Kishan Chand (@cRRund) August 4, 2021
Ashwin dropped lol, Kolly either digging his grave or masterclass incoming
— Siddhant Bhatter (@bhatterboy) August 4, 2021
