Despite being widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of Indian Test cricket, Ashwin has never been given the opportunity to captain or serve as vice-captain throughout his decade-long career.
The recent surprise exclusion of Ashwin from India’s playing XI for the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) squad prompted him to candidly discuss the labels that have been attached to him. He confronted the notion of being an “overthinker,” emphasizing that it was created with the intention of impeding his growth and development.
Read More: R. Ashwin Responds To Being Left Out Of The WTC Final 2023
Furthermore, he believes that this perception has played a significant role in him not being considered for leadership positions within the Indian cricket team. Ashwin said:
Many individuals promoted and portrayed me as someone who overthinks. When you know you’ll only get two games, it’s natural to be overwhelmed and overanalyze because it’s part of my role… The label of being an overthinker was deliberately designed to undermine me, isn’t it?
In his remarks, Ashwin highlighted how he has been promoted and portrayed as someone who tends to overthink. He pointed out that when a player knows they will only get a limited number of games, it is natural to feel overwhelmed and analyze things extensively, as it is part of his role as a player.
He questioned the intent behind labeling him as an “overthinker,” suggesting that it was a deliberate attempt to undermine him and his contributions. Ashwin also alluded to instances where his name was not prioritized for leadership roles during overseas tours.
Following Virat Kohli’s resignation from the Test captaincy in 2022, Ashwin stood out as one of the most experienced players in the Indian team.
However, when the potential candidates for captaincy were discussed, his name did not come up, and Rohit Sharma was appointed as the captain, with KL Rahul serving as the vice-captain. In the absence of both, Jasprit Bumrah led the team in the off-season test against England last year, with Rishabh Pant as his deputy.
It is worth noting that Ashwin has valuable captaincy experience in the Indian Premier League (IPL), having led the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in 2018 and 2019. However, his team failed to reach the playoffs in both seasons. In 2020, Ashwin was traded to the Delhi Capitals, where he played under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant.
Ashwin’s comments shed light on his desire for leadership roles within the Indian cricket team and his frustration with the “overthinker” label that has been associated with him. As one of the country’s most accomplished cricketers, Ashwin’s abilities and contributions to the team should not be overshadowed by such perceptions.
It remains to be seen how the Indian cricket hierarchy will respond to Ashwin’s assertions and whether they will reconsider his suitability for leadership responsibilities in the future.