Not questioning Kohli, Rohit but benching Ashwin, Jadeja sent out wrong signal: Surinder Khanna

Former India player Surinder Khanna has called on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to give a fitting farewell to off-spinner R Ashwin who retired from international cricket after the third Test in Brisbane and returned to India soon after.

The 38-year-old is considered one of the legends of Indian cricket, having taken 537 wickets in 106 Test matches. He is the second highest wicket-taker in Tests for India after Anil Kumble.

“Ashwin deserved a better farewell than just a simple retirement midway through a series for the yeoman service he has given to Indian cricket and as a loyal servant to the game of cricket,” said Khanna to www.thedelhijunction.com

“He should be given a farewell Test in Chennai like many others who played over a long period of duration for India.”

Khanna praised Ashwin’s ability to transform himself with the growing demands of the game.

“When he arrived in the team, he was a spin bowler and he kept improving not just in bowling, adjusting to the demands of the game, but also in batting,” said Khanna, who was the Man of the Series in the 1984 Asia Cup.

Khanna lashed out at the double standards shown by the Indian team management who did not deter from dropping Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja but kept faith in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli giving them chances despite their failures.

Surinder Khanna wants BCCI to give a farewell Test

“Rohit, Kohli, Ashwin and Jadeja are all great players but the former two need to do some introspection on their performances over the last few matches. Jadeja and Ashwin were getting dropped, the batsmen who did nothing for the last so many innings, their performances were not getting discussed due to their stature. Sends out a very wrong signal. If performance was the criteria, both Kohli and Rohit should also be dropped.”

Both Rohit and Kohli have continued to be part of the team without getting dropped. They have played and rested according to their whims and fancies.

To put Khanna’s point in perspective, Ashwin has averaged 22.42 with the bat over the last four years in 34 Tests, scoring two centuries and three half-centuries. He totalled 1,099 runs. But that was the weaker facet of his game. As a bowler, he took 167 wickets in the period with 10 five-wicket hauls at an average of 21.18.

As against Ashwin, Kohli plays solely as a batsman. But he has averaged only 33 with the bat, scoring 1,848 runs in 34 matches with three centuries in the last four years.

Skipper Rohit Sharma is hardly better. He has scored 2,148 runs at an average of 37.03 with six hundreds in 34 Test matches. This average of 37.03 could have been poorer if he take out the 240 runs he got at an average of 80 in two Tests against West Indies last year.

The most stark comparison is during this international cricket season since the start of Bangladesh Tests in September.

Rohit has aggregated 152 in seven matches at an average of 11.69, Kohli has 318 runs at an average of 24.46 (bloated by the unbeaten 100 in the second innings of first Test vs Australia at Perth; by the time he walked into bat, India were already 321 runs ahead and in driver’s seat).

Virat Kohli (left) and R Ashwin in happier times

Compared to these two, Ashwin scored 194 runs at an average of 19.4 with a match-saving century against Bangladesh. That aside, he has picked 21 wickets.

In short, he performed better and was more valuable due to his all-round capability than the two batting stalwarts who continue to occupy a place in the team.

Khanna also says that Ashwin could have been a good captain.

“He is thinking cricketer. I believe he should have captained India at some point. But he was denied that chance.”

Tags : R Ashwin, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Surinder Khanna, BCCI