ENG vs IND: Nick Compton alleges Virat Kohli for benching Ravi Ashwin over ‘obvious personal issues’

Nick Compton, the former England cricketer, was bemused after Ravi Ashwin didn’t get a single chance in the first four matches of the ongoing Test series. India have opted for one spinner, Ravindra Jadeja, in the playing eleven over the last few Tests. Despite being India’s leading wicket-taker in the current bunch of the bowlers, Ashwin has had to sit out.

The fact that Ashwin hasn’t played a single played a single Test on the tour has raised a lot of eyebrows. Compton didn’t mince any words in saying that Virat has ‘personal issues’ with Ashwin due to which the latter has had to sit out.

Nick Compton hits out at Kohli

Compton took to Twitter and wrote, “Please can someone explain how Kohli obvious personal issues with Ashwin are allowed to cloud an obvious selection issue? #india,”

Please can someone explain how Kohli obvious personal issues with Ashwin are allowed to cloud an obvious selection issue? #india

— Nick Compton (@thecompdog) September 2, 2021

In the inaugural World Test Championship, Ashwin was the leading wicket-taker. In the final against New Zealand in June, the Tamil Nadu-born surpassed Australia’s Pat Cummins to the tally. Back in February, Ashwin also scored a century against the Three Lions at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

India lost the third Test by an innings and 76 runs at the Headingley in Leeds after their 151-run victory at the Lord’s. Subsequently, they allowed the Brits to draw the equaliser in the five-match series. It was expected that India would make a few changes in their squad, and one of them would be giving Ashwin an opportunity to show his mettle.

India roped in Shardul Thakur and Umesh Yadav for Mohammed Siraj and Ishant Sharma. However, the visiting team kept persisting with Jadeja as the spin-bowling option. In the second and third Test, Jadeja got a couple of useful scores, though he couldn’t get a lot of wickets in those games.

In the fourth Test at the Kennington Oval in London, Jadeja was sent to bat at number five ahead of vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane and Rishabh Pant. The tactic furrowed a lot of eyebrows and it didn’t work out as he fell prey to Ollie Robinson after scoring only 10.

India are currently trailing England by 56 runs in the second innings with all their 10 wickets intact. Joe Root and Co managed a first innings lead of 99 runs after half-centuries from Ollie Pope and Chris Woakes.