India were asked to bat after England captain Joe Root won the toss at The Oval ahead of the fourth Test, but the biggest talking point was the non-selection of all-rounder Ashwin Ravichandra who was left out of the team for the fourth Test running.
India also made two changes, dropping Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami as they hope to bounce back after a heavy defeat in Headingley.
Fellow pacemen Shardul Thakur – who played in the drawn first Test at Trent Bridge before suffering a hamstring injury – was recalled and Umesh Yadav brought in for his first match this series.
That meant there was still no place for Ashwin despite having taken 413 Test wickets and scored five hundreds. This was a bigger surprise considering The Oval pitch is known to take turn later in the Test match.
Plenty of Indian fans were not impressed by the decision and questioned the rationale behind it. Here are the best reactions.
Surprising to see no @ashwinravi99 in India's XI, I believe there's ample room to play both spinners and 3 specialist quicks. @root66 will line this attack up once again! #ENGvIND
— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) September 2, 2021
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
I really hope it works but I am flabbergasted that India have gone in without Ashwin again.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 2, 2021
Ravichandran Ashwin is still not in the Playing XI as India persist with Jadeja, plus 4 seamers - Bumrah, Siraj, Shardul and Umesh. Don’t yet understand why @ashwinravi99 still can’t make the cut #INDvsEND #Oval
— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) September 2, 2021
No @ashwinravi99 the world’s number 2 bowler not playing at Oval.. hope the selectors know a template/something that none of us do!👍👍 #IndvsEng
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) September 2, 2021
Have always wondered why the horses for courses policy never applies to the batsmen but always seems to apply to Ashwin...
— Ashish Magotra (@clutchplay) September 2, 2021
india's bench in this test of ashwin, ishant & shami have many more test wickets combined than the five man attack chosen to do duty! #ENGvIND
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) September 2, 2021
I'm going to stick my neck out and say that I may not agree with @imVkohli & the management's chosen XI, but I admire their courage & conviction.
— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) September 2, 2021
The media and fans would have been far easier on them if they had picked Ashwin, regardless of the match result.
We know nobody answers any questions these days, but if Indian think tank—such as it is—is determined to not play Ashwin ever, why take him on such a long tour? Team selections overseas looking as whimsical as the last one in S. Africa. That lost us the series.#INDvsEND
— Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta) September 2, 2021
Jadeja has taken only two wickets this series. Playing Ashwin would have been the sensible option here. Yet he is paying the price for middle-orders form. If two among them were in form, Ashwin would have played. India feel Jadeja the batsman is needed more than Ashwin the bowler
— Venkata Krishna B (@venkatatweets) September 2, 2021
So so surprised not to see Ashwin as part of the Test match🤷🏽♀️#offiessticktogether
— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) September 2, 2021
I think it was never about the spin . Jadeja the Batsman got picked ahead of Ashwin the batsman. #IndvsEng
— Vikram Sathaye (@vikramsathaye) September 2, 2021
Impossible to see Ashwin's continued absence as anything other than a huge act of self-sabotage.
— Rory Dollard (@thervd) September 2, 2021
India may well win, they are really good after all, but it's just way too clever by half to leave out your 400-wicket, 5 century guy.
I can't believe they left out Ashwin again, on England's most spin-friendly ground. This team is unbelievable. You pick your five best bowlers, @ashwinravi99 has to be the first or second name. Omitting him & @MdShami11 at the Oval is like a death-wish -- as if you want to lose!
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 2, 2021
Of all the reasons he had to give for Ashwin not featuring (even when both Ishant and Shami are not playing), Kohli picked the "England has 4 left handers" line. Feels like he is trolling us all at this point. 😂 #ENGvIND
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) September 2, 2021
Shocking selection blunder for India to leave out Ashwin on an Oval pitch that’ll take spin from day 2 when India bowl. And Umesh in place of Shami? That’s daft. I’m afraid that describes Kohli, Shastri & the selectors as well #INDvENG
— Minhaz Merchant (@MinhazMerchant) September 2, 2021
Does this debate around #Ashwin also put extra pressure on Jadeja to prove his selection right? And how tensed (if not desperate) would the think tank be to prove their thoughts right?#ENGvIND
— Shirshendu Roy (@Shirsh9) September 2, 2021