Former Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has made a bold statement on the chatter of possible impact on Test cricket after Virat Kohli’s retirement from the format. Virat Kohli has been the greatest ambassador of Test cricket in the modern era and played a key role in captivating fans to the format amid the increasing rise of T20 franchise cricket.
However, it is undoubtedly true that Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket has left a noticeable gap in the Indian cricket team and the format’s appeal, at least for the time being, but Ravichandran Ashwin has a different take on the same. He doesn’t think Kohli’s retirement was Test cricket’s loss.
Ravichandran Ashwin says Test Cricket will thrive even without Virat Kohli and India won’t miss him in ENG Tests
Ashwin isn’t buying into the idea that one player defines the future of the traditional format of the game, saying no one is bigger than the game, including Kohli. He bluntly said that the game shapes careers, not the players who make the game famous or pave the way for survival.
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Virat Kohli may have left an incredible legacy, but Ashwin made it clear that the responsibility of keeping Test cricket alive doesn’t belong to one person. He noted that players come and go, but the spirit of Test cricket remains timeless, carried forward by whoever takes the field next.
Ravichandran Ashwin was quoted as saying by Revsportz, “I do not think anybody who has played the game, or will play the game, is higher than the game itself. Nobody that walks the park does good for the game—the game does good or bad by them. I love Virat, but he has come, played the game, left the game, and left it at a great place. And now, it is for someone else to take it forward.”
Ravichandran Ashwin calls on Shubman Gill and young Indian guns to carry forward Virat Kohli-Sachin Tendulkar’s legacy
Meanwhile, the former Indian off-spinner believes that it’s now time for the young Indian players to step up and carry forward the legacy left behind by legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. With Shubman Gill leading as captain and Rishabh Pant as his deputy, Ashwin is excited to see how they bring the same passion and intensity to the field.
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Ashwin further explained, “Now looking forward to the attitude and desire of talents like Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Dhruv Jurel to take it ahead. It’s time to see if they can replicate the intense energy that players like Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar showed on the field all these years. Having said that, it is everyone’s responsibility in the team to show that energy and desire.”
Ravichandran Ashwin backs Sai Sudharsan for dream Test debut in England
Well, Ashwin also shared his excitement for the upcoming five-match Test series between India and England. He pointed out how the new-age cricketers, like Sai Sudharsan, who is in line to make his Test debut in England, already have valuable experience.
The former Indian spinner noted that Sudharsan has already faced top pacers like Mitchell Starc, Kagiso Rabada, Pat Cummins, Gerald Coetzee, and Josh Hazlewood in the IPL, so it won’t be a much tougher task for him to handle England bowlers in the Test series.
Sudharsan has also played county cricket for Surrey, which helps him adjust to English conditions. Ashwin feels the IPL has boosted young players’ confidence, and he is now eager to see how both Indian and English players perform in this high-stakes Test series.
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