Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had much to say about his expression of dismay and regret over India’s devastating 3-0 whitewash by New Zealand in the Test series. The defeat marked the first-ever whitewash for India in a home Test series with three matches or more. The team was left reeling into deep thought by this defeat, and so was Ravichandran Ashwin.
Spilling the beans on the very first day after India’s crushing loss in the third Test in Mumbai, Ashwin, known for his frankness, admitted to being emotionally rattled after the series outcome. The loss came after a big blow: India’s strong home record and Ashwin’s leadership role in the team. “I am a big reason for the loss, he said, conceding underperformance in the series.
Ashwin could muster only nine wickets in three Tests, not making the impact expected at home after a bowler of his quality. The series incidentally proved his worst for India in a home Test series with more than 90 overs of bowling by him, and such figures did little for his poor performance to ease India’s difficulties against New Zealand’s resilience.
The Weight Of Self-Blame
Ashwin didn’t hide behind excuses as he looked back at the poor outing, explaining he had expected much both of himself with the ball and at the bottom order with the bat. “I am a guy who says I am the reason for everything that went wrong,” he confessed. And when he didn’t contribute with the bat when it mattered most, the lower order of the side couldn’t get enough runs to drive the bowlers.
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Ashwin so beautifully embodies a cricketer, cricket fan, and critic all at the same time ❤️❤️😍😍
Really great point this pic.twitter.com/l1Ft7zLqrE
— Broken Cricket Dreams Cricket Blog (@cricket_broken) November 10, 2024
Ashwin continued, “I started well in many places, then I threw it away on a couple of occasions. I put my best but it wasn’t enough.” The honesty of accepting responsibility for the downfall of the team was epitomized by his self-awareness and commitment to improvement but also the pressure he felt from the defeat.
A Shattering Experience On Field
Ashwin’s reaction to the whitewash was raw and emotional, showing just how much the loss had hit him. “We have been hit by a 3-0 loss to New Zealand. I read that it has never happened in India in history,” he said, clearly stunned by the magnitude of the defeat. “I don’t know how to react or respond to it for the last 2-3 days.” The loss for a player who has been a backbone of India’s attack in spin conditions was especially hard to take, and his words capture the emotional cost for the team.
Will India Qualify For WTC Final?
The whitewash also had serious consequences for India’s WTC aspiration. India had been at the top of the WTC standings at the beginning of the series but now stands second after this defeat. With only the top two teams qualifying for the WTC final, India has a long way to go. To reach the final for the third consecutive time, India must not lose and win at least a draw in the upcoming series against Australia.
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