IND vs ENG | Virat‌ ‌Kohli‌ ‌has‌ ‌‘personal‌ ‌reasons’‌ ‌for‌ ‌benching‌ ‌Ravichandran‌ ‌Ashwin‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌series,‌ ‌alleges‌ ‌Nick‌ ‌Compton‌

09/04/2021

Former England cricketer, Nick Compton alleged that Virat Kohli does have some personal reasons for not including Ashwin in the playing XI for successive games. However, Kohli has stated that Ravindra Jadeja perfectly fits the playing XI as he provides balance to the team with the bat as well.

After India left Ravichandran Ashwin on the bench for the fourth consecutive time on the England tour, a debate of sorts among fans and cricket experts all has erupted. Twitter and other social media platforms were full of assumptions behind Kohli’s decision of leaving out Ashwin for successive of the Oval Test. Several experts vented their disappointments through their tweets after Kohli announced their playing XI for the fourth Test on Thursday.

In his recent tweet, former England cricketer Nick Compton alleged that Virat Kohli is benching Ravichandran Ashwin due to personal reasons.

Please can someone explain how Kohli obvious personal issues with Ashwin are allowed to cloud an obvious selection issue? #india
— Nick Compton (@thecompdog) September 2, 2021

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan reckoned that the exclusion of Ashwin from playing XI for the fourth continuous time is the greatest ‘NON’ selection witnessed by the cricket world.

The non selection of @ashwinravi99 has to be greatest NON selection we have ever witnessed across 4 Tests in the UK !!! 413 Test wickets & 5 Test 100s !!!! #ENGvIND Madness …
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) September 2, 2021

Ashwin, who was has scalped 413 in Test cricket so far last played the red-ball cricket for India against New Zealand in the World Test Championship final. He picked four wickets in the match and later for Surrey in County championship he made an impressive 6/27 against Somerset.

However, the Indian skipper did not feel anything wrong with the exclusion of Ashwin and justified his playing XI selection by stating that, Jadeja perfectly fits in the playing XI as he brings more balance to the team with his batting ability.

“It’s something that we thought is a good match-up for Jadeja as well, because mostly all our seamers bowl over the wicket. It’s a nice little spot for the left-handers as well. I think according to the match-ups, it fits perfectly for our team – plus the balance he is giving us with the bat as well currently,” added Kohli at the toss for the fourth Test.

Jadeja has impressed everyone with his willow in the past with crucial knocks at pressure situations, especially in overseas conditions. However, in the last two years before the ongoing five-match Test series, Jadeja clinched 29 from 13 matches, while Ashwin scalped 71 wickets from 14 matches he played for India. Fans and cricket experts are hopefully waiting for Ashwin's inclusion in the playing XI for the fifth Test at Old Trafford.