Ravichandran Ashwin proved his ICC Test bowling rankings again as he took five wickets on Day 1 of the first Test match against West Indies on Wednesday, July 12. He completed 700 international wickets with his third wicket and also surpassed James Anderson to become the leading active bowler with the most five-wicket hauls in Test cricket.
Ashwin swiftly returned to playing eleven after missing India's last Test match, ICC World Test Championship final against Australia 2023 last month. The cricket world was stunned to see Ashwin's absence from the crucial final as he was India's leading wicket-taker in the WTC cycle 2021-23 and was ranked first in the ICC Test bowling chart.
But the veteran spin all-rounder revealed that he was prepared to sit out during the WTC final and always thinking of putting the team first. He said that he didn't know how to respond if he was not playing and also added that he could have played a good role in winning the WTC final.
"As a cricketer when you have a shot at a WTC Final and to sit out is fine. For me, it was how do I respond and how do I make sure the dressing room is up and about. Winning the WTC Final is the most important thing and it could have been a very high point in my career and I could have played a good role in it, but it was just unfortunate that it didn’t pan out and the first day left us too far behind in the shed," Ashwin said after Day 1's play against West Indies.
"But what is the difference between me and another person that is going to sulk (about being dropped)? All I would like to give my teammates and India cricket as a whole is some understanding and my best efforts on the field and that is where I would like to leave it."
In Ashwin's absence, India suffered an embarrassing 209-run defeat to Australia at The Oval. But they are currently in a comfortable position against West Indies in the first Test and credit goes to Ashwin alone for his 5 for 60 figures.
