Ravichandran Ashwin Drops Bombshell To Criticise India’s Superstar Culture

The former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has requested Indian players not to encourage the superstar culture on the national side, as he felt that they are not actors or superstars but are just sportspersons.

Recently, the Board of Control for Cricket in India made a few rules and regulations regarding the Indian players’ behavior as the board restricted the weight of baggage, the stay with the families on long tours, and also the importance of going to the practice sessions on the team bus.

Ravichandran Ashwin calls for the end of superstar culture

Ravichandran Ashwin announced a shocking retirement from international cricket during the third Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 at the Gabba in Brisbane. He finished as the second leading wicket-taker for India with 537 scalps in 200 innings at an average of 24, shouldering on 25 five-wicket hauls.

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He has called for things to get normal in the future. Ashwin feels that as a sportsperson, the common people should resonate and compare themselves with the players.

“It is important to normalize things in Indian cricket. We must not encourage this superstardom and super celebrities within the Indian cricket team and must normalize all these things going forward.” Ravichandran Ashwin expressed this on his Hindi YouTube channel.

“We are cricketers and are not actors or superstars. are sportspersons, and we must be someone that the common people should resonate with and can compare themselves with.” The 37-year-old reckoned.

The veteran also highlighted that both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli had contributed so much to the game, and the entire process has become usual for them.

“For example, if you are a Rohit Sharma or a Virat Kohli, who have achieved so much. When you hit one more century, it is not just about your achievement anymore. It should be the business as usual, and our goals should be bigger than these achievements.” Ravichandran Ashwin noted.

Ex-India spinner concerned with India’s five spinners in Champions Trophy

The BCCI selectors went with five spinners for the Champions Trophy, as they will play all of their games at the Dubai International Stadium. They will be without their premier pacer, Jasprit Bumrah, as Mohammed Shami will lead the pace bowling unit alongside the young pacers Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana.

But Ashwin is not prepared to accept the Blue Brigade’s plan of keeping five spinners in the squad. They added Varun Chakravarthy late, in the final squad, replacing backup opener Yashasvi Jaiswal.

“Five spinners in Dubai? I think we are one spinner too many if not two. The two left-arm spinners are your best all-rounders, alongside Hardik Pandya. So both Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja are going to play. Hardik will also play, and Kuldeep will play.” Ravichandran Ashwin questioned.

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“If you want Varun Chakravarthy in the team, then you will have to make a pacer sit out and use Hardik as your second pacer. Otherwise, you will have to drop a spinner to bring in a third seamer,” Ravichandran Ashwin concluded.

India seeks all-round brilliance in Champions Trophy 2025

The Rohit Sharma-led side enjoyed a phenomenal time during the three-match ODI series against England, where they displayed better bowling, batting, and fielding performance than the Jos Buttler-led side.

They will hope to carry the same momentum in the ICC event, as they face Bangladesh in the opening game of the campaign on February 20 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. They will also lock horns with Pakistan and New Zealand in the two other group-stage encounters of the tournament.