Indian Off-spinner Ravi Ashwin Refuses To Choose Between Ravi Shastri and Anil Kumble, Says Time Will Tell

With team India set to tour Sri Lanka in a couple of days time, the support staff of the Indian team is yet to be picked.

Even though the general idea was that the selection of Ravi Shastri had more to do with the team wanting him to return at the helm of affairs, spin bowler Ashwin has made it clear that he will not judge Shastri and time will tell if the choice of the coach was good or not..

Ashwin

“I think, the new coach or the new support staff, it does not come under my jurisdiction, it isn’t something I will take a call on. I am not being diplomatic, it will be unfair for me to pass a comment on that. Likewise always, the Indian team moves on, India moves on (and) we have to find out in course of time, how it is going,” Ashwin said in a promotional event.

Shastri replaced former India captain Anil Kumble at the top spot after the legendary leg-spinner decided to step down citing a breakdown in his relationship with captain Virat Kohli.

Shastri, who has served as the Team India Director between 2014 and 2016, was then selected by the Cricket Advisory Committee comprising Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman as the new coach on July 11.

Shastri, who had lost out to Anil Kumble last year, after a fairly successful two years as team director, finally had the last laugh as he was made head coach of the Indian team till the 2019 World Cup. Meanwhile, the BCCI had also named Rahul Dravid as the team’s batting consultant for specific overseas tours while Zaheer Khan was appointed as the bowling consultant.

Anil Kumble and Ravi Shastri

Ashwin is part of the India squad led by Virat Kohli which will Sri Lanka in a full-fledged series comprising three Tests, five ODIs, and a lone T20I.

Ashwin also hailed Zimbabwe’s performance against hosts Sri Lanka in the ODIs and said such shock results will help cricket stay healthy. Zimbabwe defeated Sri Lanka 3-2 in the five match ODI series by winning the first, fourth and the fifth games.

“With regard to Zimbabwe winning over Sri Lanka, that’s how the game goes, anybody can lose, anybody can win. Tomorrow Afghanistan may beat someone, so that’s the way the sport needs to (go). It is very healthy for the game,” Ashwin said.

The tour commences on July 21 with a two-day practice game at Moratuwa prior to the opening Test at Galle beginning July 26.

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