• Home
  • Player Stories
  • Rashwin Talks About His Struggles Reveals He Felt Being Traumatised By People

R.Ashwin talks About His Struggles, Reveals He Felt Being 'Traumatised' By People

image-liyhsm7oRavinchandran Ashwin (Twitter)

Ravichandran Ashwin, the veteran off-spinner, has made a comeback to cricket in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). In his first match of the season for Dindigul Dragons, he performed impressively, taking two wickets for 26 runs. 

However, Ashwin's absence from the playing eleven in the World Test Championship final against Australia was a surprise to the cricket community. Despite being the world's number one Test bowler, he was left on the bench, which deeply affected him. 

Ashwin expressed his disappointment and revealed in an interview with The Indian Express how he was hurt by people's comments that labeled him as an "overthinker" and indirectly denied him leadership opportunities. These comments had a traumatic impact on him, and he is keen to set the record straight.

Here's what Ashwin said:

“A lot of people marketed me and positioned me… (as) an overthinker. A person who knows that they will get only two games will be traumatised and will be overthinking because it’s my job… It (overthinker label) was created to work against me, right?

"And as I said, there have been statements that people have made all along when leadership is a question that’s come my way, there have been people… out there telling (that) my name is not the first name on the sheet when India tour abroad,” Ashwin told The Indian Express during an exclusive interview. 

“I’m a lot more chilled than I used to be. A lot more relaxed than I ever have been. Sitting here today, I realise how much of a toll it had taken on me mentally, to the point where I was traumatised. But I am very glad to have come through that and discovered a new me,” he further added.

Ashwin, who is attempting to overcome the disappointment of being excluded from the WTC Final, also mentioned that his teammates now feel more like colleagues. He stated that personal bonding has diminished, as each individual is striving to outperform the others within the team.