Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar was not pleased with off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s exclusion from the Indian XI for the first Test against West Indies at Antigua.
All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja earned the nod as India’s lone frontline spinner ahead of Ashwin, who was seen carrying drinks in the first session. Ashwin had a memorable series the last time India toured West Indies – in 2016, where he was the Player of the Series – and put in good all-round displays for English county side Nottinghamshire recently.
“[The selection] astonished me,” Gavaskar said during commentary on Sony. “A man with that kind of record, especially against West Indies. He doesn’t find a place in this playing XI. That is stunning. Astonishing.”
Gavaskar was referring to Ashwin’s phenomenal record against Windies with the bat and ball. In 11 Tests, Ashwin has taken 60 wickets at 21.85, and has four hundreds, averaging a touch over 50. One-day International vice-captain Rohit Sharma, who scored a fluent fifty against West Indies A in the practice match, was also left out.