India faced a heavy defeat against Australia in the WTC 2023 Final at The Oval, leading to discussions about the exclusion of spinner Ravichandran Ashwin from the playing eleven.
Ashwin spoke about the dynamics in the dressing room after the loss, stating that in the current era, teammates are more like colleagues rather than friends. He expressed that cricket would be more nuanced and enjoyable if players understood each other beyond a professional level.
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Ashwin believed that cricket improves when teammates share their experiences and techniques. He highlighted the isolated nature of the sport, where players have to rely on self-learning.
In response to Ashwin’s comments, former player and coach Ravi Shastri emphasized that the colleague attitude has always been prevalent in cricket, both on and off the field. Shastri stated that having a few close friends in life is sufficient, and he is content with that.