- He missed the first trial before being picked in Adelaide
- Suddenly retired after Brisbane Test draw
- His father has expressed his opinion, much to his son’s embarrassment.
Parents can still be embarrassing even when you’re world famous and pushing 40; ask Indian cricket superstar Ravichandran Ashwin.
The talented player shocked the cricket world after the draw against Australia in Brisbane by appearing at the post-match press conference and announcing his retirement from the international team, with immediate effect.
His resignation came amid rumors that he had fallen out of favor with coach Gautum Gambhir, while captain Rohit Sharma lobbied for his inclusion at the expense of youngster Washington Sundar.
Now Ashwin’s father, who is also called Ravichandran, has weighed in on the debate.
He has stated that his son might have withdrawn due to the sheer humiliation of not being selected, forcing Ashwin junior to rush to set the record straight.
In fact, I also found out at the last minute. I don’t know what was going through his mind,” Ravichandran Ashwin Senior told CNN News18.
Ravichandran Ashwin (pictured holding the ball) ended his brilliant Test career for India in a sudden announcement after the Brisbane Test against Australia.
The prolific spinner (pictured with his family) has been at the center of rumors that he was abroad with coach Gautum Gambhir.
Ashwin’s father (pictured right with the star) believes his son might have quit due to the ‘humiliation’ of not being selected.
‘He just announced. I also accepted it with full pleasure. I didn’t have any feelings about it. But because of the way he retired, I was partly very happy, partly not happy because he should have continued.
‘(Retiring) is his wish and desire, I can’t interfere in that, but the way he gave that, there could be many reasons. Only Ashwin knows, perhaps the humiliation.
Ashwin junior then went online and confusingly blamed the media for misleading his father, before attempting to dismiss it as a careless slip of the tongue.
“My father has no training in media,” he posted.
‘Your father enna da ithelaam?’ – which translates to “what’s wrong?” in Tamil.
‘I never thought you would follow this rich tradition of ‘dad statements’. I ask everyone to forgive him and leave him alone.
Meanwhile, India are not the only team suffering from selection dramas as Australia confirmed that rookie opener Nathan McSweeney has been dropped for the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.
Sam Konstas is set for a whirlwind Test debut after being called up for the final two matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the expense of McSweeney.
Nathan McSweeney has been dropped by Cricket Australia officials after just three matches
Sam Konstas becomes fourth-youngest Test debutant in Australia’s history on Boxing Day
Teenage batting prodigy Konstas was on Friday included in Australia’s 15-player squad for the remainder of the series against India, with pacer Jhye Richardson the other new face replacing the injured Josh Hazlewood.
At 19 years and 85 days, Konstas would become the fourth-youngest Test debutant in Australia’s history if selected for the Boxing Day Test, and the youngest since current captain Pat Cummins in 2011.
‘Sam gets a call from the testing team for the first time. “His batting style offers a point of difference and we look forward to seeing his game develop further,” said chief selector George Bailey.
The inclusion of Konstas has taken McSweeney out of the picture after both he and fellow opener Usman Khawaja failed in the first three Tests against India.
Neither has scored above 40 in this series, but it is the recent debutant who has had to pay the price.