'Team Management Didn't Consistently Select Ashwin... Deserved A Grand Farewell': Anil Kumble Lambasts Indian Team
Kumble also minced no words when highlighting the downfalls of the Indian team in utilising Ashwin to his fullest, shedding light on the misconstrued notion of the now-retired Ashwin as just a 'spinner'.
You never know what you are missing until it’s gone. Indian spin legend Anil Kumble echoed the same sentiment when referring to Ravinchandran Ashwin, but also stated that India did not utilise the spin wizard properly during his tenure with the side.
Ashwin announced his retirement after the third Test of the BGT at the Gabba ended in a draw. He walked into the press conference with captain Rohit Sharma, stating that it was his last day as an international cricketer.
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Kumble, who remains the highest wicket-taker for India in Test cricket with 619, followed by Ashwin with 537 wickets, praised heap on the legendary off-spinner, brandishing him as a ‘matchwinner’.
“Ravichandran Ashwin is a matchwinner. He is a thorough professional who has excelled throughout his career. Every time you watch him bowl, you can see that he wants to get better and is trying to outwit the batter in any circumstance. You want to see that in any cricketer, and he’s done that for 14–15 years," wrote Kumble in his piece for Sportstar.
Kumble also minced no words when highlighting the downfalls of the Indian team in utilising Ashwin to his fullest during his career, shedding light on the misconstrued notion of the now-retired Ashwin as just a ‘spinner’.
“Unfortunately, the team management did not consistently select Ashwin to play in England, South Africa, and Australia, which has always perplexed me. With Ravindra Jadeja bowling in tandem, India could have had these two in every match. Ashwin has consistently picked wickets on every surface he has played on. So to typecast him as a spinner, mostly in subcontinent conditions, is not fair."
Much has been said about the timing and farewell Ashwin received for his retirement, and Kumble shared his disappointment on the same, stating that the off-spinner deserved ‘a grand farewell’.
“Players who have contributed for such a long period deserve a grand farewell. They need to be sat down and offered an appropriate plan on how you want them to leave the game. I was very disappointed with the way Ashwin left," Kumble wrote.
“Many cricketers in the past missed out on a farewell, too. The kind of benchmarks he has set won’t be easy for anyone to live up to. He served Indian cricket with distinction."
Ashwin has taken his wickets at an average of 24 in 106 Test matches. He is also seventh on the overall list of wicket-takers.
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