‘You are Talking About Jealousy’: R Ashwin Clarifies on Fighting for a Spot in Playing XI with Ravindra Jadeja

In the long list of India’s greatest spin bowling combinations, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have made their mark in Indian cricket history. Individually, both are in the top 10 list of highest wicket-takers for India with Ashwin second behind the great Anil Kumble, while Jadeja is 7th, having surpassed the great Bishen Sing Bedi. While both have wreaked havoc in Indian conditions playing together in the Indian playing XI more often than not, in overseas Tests, India always have the tough choice to make on leaving out one of the them. And it is generally, Ashwin who becomes the fall guy.

On being asked about how he deals with this predicament in an interview, Ashwin rebutted the interviewer saying, “You are talking about Jealousy”, before going to explain how people’s minds are conditioned to think a certain way if a player is preferred over the other.

Ashwin praised Jadeja’s exceptional talent and natural ability in all facets of the game—bowling, batting, and fielding. “Jadeja is the most talented cricketer I’ve seen; everything about him is natural. Over the years, our relationship has improved as we’ve learned to understand each other’s differences,” Ashwin said. He highlighted their contrasting personalities, noting, “I tend to think a lot, whereas he does not. Understanding took time, but now we have a strong working relationship.”

Ashwin clarified that he holds no ill feelings towards Jadeja’s success. “It’s not Jadeja’s fault that I’m not playing. I don’t have the kind of jealousy where I would wish to keep him out just to play myself. The notion of jealousy is a conditioning we need to overcome,” he explained. Ashwin emphasized that such thoughts are more about the perception of replacement rather than individual merit.

Ashwin stressed the importance of clear communication within the team. “It’s crucial to handle players who are not playing with clarity and reassurance. If someone is replaced, it’s not about fault but about opportunity and team dynamics,” he said. He acknowledged that while he may not match Jadeja’s exceptional fielding, the aspiration should be to continually improve. “The focus should be on internal inspiration rather than external comparisons,” Ashwin added.

Reflecting on common perceptions in cricket, Ashwin criticized the tendency to blame politics for team selections. “We often attribute selection issues to politics rather than personal merit. It’s essential to focus on honesty and self-improvement,” he noted.