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Ravichandran Ashwin might have announced his retirement following the Gabba Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar trophy, but the kind of presence legendary off-spinner shares in the Indian dressing room is almost second to none. This is evident through a video that BCCI shared on their X handle recently revealing the true nature of Ashwin behind the scenes.
Bowling skills of the support staff on display as Ravichandran Ashwin cheers them up
The video shows an indoor net session of the Indian cricket team with members of the support staff who are currently with the squad in Australia. In the video, these support staff members can be seen trying their hands on bowling as Ashwin calls them on the net one by one. Youngsters Prasidh Krishna and Washington Sundar can also be seen in the video taking jibes at the bowling actions of the members of the support staff. A harmless mimicry of spin and pace bowling can be seen by the members of the support staff as some deliveries amusingly derails from the pitch while others fell short at the strikers end. Ashwin, Krishna and Sundar can be seen laughing and enjoying their time looking just how good the Indian support can be with the ball!
Here’s the video:
The countless battles on the field are memorable ❤️
But it's also moments like these that Ashwin will reminisce from his international career 😃👌
Check out @ashwinravi99 supporting his beloved support staff 🫶#TeamIndia | #ThankYouAshwin pic.twitter.com/OepvPpbMSc
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 19, 2024
Also Read: Complete list of five-wicket hauls and centuries by Ravichandran Ashwin in international cricket
Ashwin’s retirement: A fillable void?
While laughter and fun can be a joyful sight for the Indian cricket fans, a more serious question looms in front of the team management. With Ashwin bidding farewell to the game following the Gabba Test, the question arises as to who can be a short-term replacement for the legendary off-spinner for the remaining Test matches of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar trophy.
India can go for an extra pacer similar to the Brisbane Test, considering the seam movement pacers get at the MCG especially with the new ball. For the Sydney Test, the team can opt Washington Sundar as the their main spinner. The pitch at Sydney is known to be favourable for batters with spinners playing a crucial role during the later stages of the match. Ravindra Jadeja can offer the extra help both with the bat and ball, similar to Ashwin.
