'It's for the team's benefit' - Indian bowling coach Paras Mhambrey opens up on dropping Ashwin in WTC Final 2023

India had a disappointing outing on Day 1 of the ICC World Test Championship 2023 final as Australia finished the day in a commanding position at 327/3 with Steve Smith (95*) and Travis Head (146*) at the crease. India’s dismal outing led to discussions about whether the team management went ahead with the right team combination by dropping Ravichandran Ashwin and picking Shardul Thakur in his place.

Commenting on the same, Indian bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey, admitted that it was a difficult decision to drop the star off-spinner but the conditions in the morning forced India to make the change. Furthermore, he also cited the last combination where pacers did well for the Indian team.

"See, it's always a very difficult decision to drop a champion bowler like that. But I thought looking at the conditions in the morning, I thought having the additional seamer would definitely be beneficial. And it also has worked in the past. If you look at the earlier games that we played, the last Test match, we went in four seamers, which really did well,” Mhambrey was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

Mhambrey further said that whatever decision is taken is for the team’s benefit while calling Ashwin a world-class at the same time. Moreover, Mhambrey backs the Indian seamers to come good ahead along with the batters on whom the onus will be to first give a good start and then inch closer to Australia's total, when India come out to bat.

"So, you discuss which combination should be played on the wicket. Yes, you are saying that he is a world-class bowler. Definitely, no doubt about it. But I think when we have a conversation, the player also understands that if a decision is taken, it is taken for the team's benefit,” he added.

Ravichandran Ashwin has been benched for the Sixth time in England

Notably, Ravichandran Ashwin has now not been a part of six consecutive Tests in England. The off-spinner last played a Test in the country during the World Test Championship final in 2021 where he scalped 2/28 and 2/17 in the two innings. However, following that game, Ashwin has made way for seam all-rounder Shardul Thakur or Ishant Sharma. 

The move to rest the ace spinner has been criticized by former cricketers Ricky Ponting and Sunil Gavaskar who feel that there will be spin on offer during Day 4 and 5 of the Test.