'We're cricketers, not actors' - Ravichandran Ashwin criticizes 'superstar culture' in Indian cricket
"It is important to normalize things in Indian cricket," Ravichandran Ashwin said.
Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has recently spoken out against this ‘superstar culture,’ mentioning that cricketers remain grounded and relatable. Ashwin emphasized that cricketers should be seen as athletes first and not as actors.
The Tamil Nadu cricketer strongly expressed his concerns about the growing trend of giving players celebrity status. He stressed the importance of cricketers being individuals that the common people can identify with.
"It is important to normalize things in Indian cricket. We must not encourage this superstardom and super celebrities within the Indian cricket team. We must normalize all these things going forward. We are cricketers. We are not actors or superstars," Ashwin said while speaking on his Hindi YouTube channel, Ash Ki Baat.
Our goals should be bigger than these achievements: Ravi Ashwin
The veteran pointed out the importance of prioritizing team success over individual milestones, using India’s two batting stalwarts, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, as examples.
“We are sportspersons, and we must be someone that the common people should resonate with, and can compare themselves with. 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 business as usual, and our goals should be bigger than these achievements, he added.
Apart from his views on the superstar culture, Ashwin also shared his concerns regarding India’s squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The squad features five spinners (Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, and Varun Chakravarthy) which Ashwin believes might be excessive for Dubai’s conditions.
"Five spinners in Dubai? I don’t know. I think we are one spinner too many, if not two. The two left-arm spinners (Jadeja and Axar) 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. 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. Else you will have to drop a spinner to bring in a third seamer," he concluded.
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