Angry R Ashwin fans lash out at BCCI, Rohit Sharma for excluding him from WTC Final after Australia win title
By Sunita Iyer | First Published Jun 11, 2023, 6:18 PM ISTFollowing India's dismal 209-run defeat to Australia at the World Test Championship (WTC) final on Sunday, Ravichandran Ashwin's fans trolled BCCI, coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma for excluding the veteran spinner from The Oval clash.
With all its financial clout and fanfare around its cricket, India once again fell short when it mattered most, continuing its dismal performance in ICC competitions with a 209-run thrashing at the hands of Australia in the WTC final on Sunday.
Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja were both dismissed by Australian pacer Scott Boland in the same over, ultimately ending India's chances of winning the match as they were bowled out for 234 on the final day at The Oval.
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India had only themselves to blame for yet another defeat in a major competition because Australia was the superior team on all fronts. India won its previous ICC championship back in 2013, which marked their second straight loss in the World Tennis Championship final after losing to New Zealand two years prior.
On the final day, India lost seven wickets for an additional 70 runs.
However, following the shock defeat at The Oval, one of the biggest talking points among experts and Indian fans was the exclusion of veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Although India lost the title contest mainly due to the failure of their high-profile batting line-up, fans of the Chennai-based spinner could not help but lash out their anger on the BCCI, coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma for not including him in the playing XI.
"BCCI should appoint an able captain going forward. Pant and Ashwin are a definite miss. Team Selection is a mess , which everyone pointed right from day one. Better to bring back Kohli as captain or make Ashwin captain of test team," noted one fan on Twitter.
BCCI should appoint an able captain going forward. Pant and Ashwin are a definite miss. Team
Selection is a mess , which everyone pointed right from day one. Better to bring back Kohli as captain or make Ashwin captain of test team.
Another added, "Expressing confidence in the big player every time: Sometimes it was necessary to feed even the senior player and it has become heavy for Ravi Ashwin to sit at the bar."
Expressing confidence in the big player every time: Sometimes it was necessary to feed even the senior player and it has become heavy for Ravi Ashwin to sit at the bar.
— suriya desai (@desai_suri15704)"Ashwin would be a Trump card..But politics is everywhere," said a third fan, while a fourth added, "#India choose to bench the best bowler #Ashwin in #WTCFinals . #AUSvsIND. I think #RohitSharma makes a very bad captain."
Ashwin would be a Trump card..But politics is everywhere.
— Ankitverma08 (@Ankitverma081)choose to bench the best bowler in . . I think makes a very bad captain. https://t.co/1oVXkcHVSn
— Bala (@mathibalaa)Here's a look at how other R Ashwin fans reacted to his exclusion from the crucial Test after Australia conquered the WTC title:
RaviChandra Ashwin after Nathan Lyon 5 wickets in WTC final pic.twitter.com/GEufUmqzQb
— john Wick (@AK8561680660265)Ultra defensive game cost India the 🏏
Big blunders:
1. Dropping the world no. 1 bowler. Ashwin's offspin could have added more variety than 4 pacers.
2. Choosing to bowl first on winning the toss. Should have played to its strengths, rather than worry about conditions.
If the captains have any doubt about 's batting ability, they should go watch the previous edition of , where has qualified only because of a match winning century against , and a blockathon against in Sydney. 4/5
— Viswa Narayanan S (@ConvolutedViswa)After playing IPL for two months, expecting that India will win the WTC final. Only Jai Shah thinks like this. For the past few years, Ashwin, Akshar Patel and Jadeja have won Tests for India with ball and bat. Bad captaincy. pic.twitter.com/sXgQg3008r
— एच आर सीनम (@MeenaSeenam55)Yes! We lost 2nd final in Row…But Atleast we feel proud to be the part of WTC final twice.
Some changes could made impact like Dhawan, Ashwin and Wriddhiman Shaha. No time to play blame game. Congratulations team Australia. You deserve this. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/Xs5SHLpuel
Can't believe someone like Dravid just said that they making turners at home to get WTC points.
Please realise turners bring the opponents closer to our team at our home. Ashwin and Jadeja are world class spinners, they don't need turners.
Bring our 2016-19 balanced era back
Let Ashwin do what Kumble did at the end of his road n groom a young VC Gill would have liked it to be Pant but dont think he will play half of next WTC Cycle Also time to say goodbye to Pujara and Rahane I know he did well this game but we need to move on
— Vishwanathan (@Vishwa0312)IMO : Why did India lose the WTC 2023 Final?
1. Left Ashwin(most wickets) and Australian X1 have 5 lefties.
2. Leaving good deliveries (First innings Gill, Pujara)
3. Rohit played lazily(1st Inn) and a needless/improper shot(2nd Inn)
As rightly said, India plays whole WTC like they deserve to be in finals, and in the finals they make everyone think, why are they even in the finals 😓
Poor team selection, shot selection and what not!
Utterly disappointed.
Ashwin stats in this WTC cycle.
Matches = 13
Wickets = 61
Avg = 19.67
Eco = 2.48
Why would you not pick a bowler with such a wonderful stats.
Extreme stupidity
The top four comprising Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara and Kohli failed to deliver in the high-stake game.
Indian supporters entered day five of the chase for a record 444 runs at The Oval full of optimism because to Kohli (49) and Ajinkya Rahane (46).
Boland's dismissal of Kohli and Jadeja (0) in the seventh over of the morning, though, effectively ended India's chances of winning. India began the day at 164 for three and needed another 280 runs to pull off the unlikely victory.
If India was to come close to reaching the enormous mark, Kohli, who had appeared to be in excellent form on day four, needed to score a big hundred.
There was always going to be an odd ball with your name on it on a surface with varying bounce, and that is what occurred to both Kohli and Jadeja.
Boland's dogged pursuit around the off-stump has given the Australian attack a new dimension. The seamer pitched one wide while bowling from the pavilion end, and Kohli attempted to drive only to be stopped by a leaping Steve Smith at second slip.
After two balls, he got one to seam away from the wicket, and Jadeja gave the wicketkeeper an easy catch, leaving India at 179 for five.
K S Bharat then joined Rahane, who continued to energise the fans by hitting a pair of stunning straight drives against Mitchell Starc.
Soon after, Rahane went hard for a ball that he could have left to get caught behind, which would have sealed his team's doom, and Starc quickly pulled his length back. The seasoned batter was left shaking his head in disappointment after taking the incorrect swing.
After only five balls, Nathan Lyon lbw Shardul Thakur, bringing the total to 213 for seven. Although it looked like the game would go till lunch, the Indian tail helped the Australians' task and they were bowled out in the additional half-hour of action.
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