Former India cricketer R Ashwin opened up on the superstar culture in India in an exclusive interview on The Scoop by Wisden.
The spin bowler clarified that he never called it an issue within the Indian dressing room, despite previously citing the rise of individual narratives around players. He also noted that India wouldn’t have been successful across formats if there was an issue with superstar culture inside the dressing room.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir has also previously addressed perceived superstar culture around India players, saying: "I have always believed cricket is not just about individual performances."
Speaking on The Scoop, Ashwin said: “If that was ever an issue, India wouldn't have reigned supreme in the format of Test cricket for the last decade or so. India wouldn't have won some silverware over the last couple of years. The dressing room's been pretty tight. When a player is admired or adored by people, that's something that the other cricketers in the dressing room can't do anything about.”
ALSO READ: R Ashwin - T20 cricket should be considered a 'separate sport'
Ashwin has been vocal in the past about the fan armies showering affection or hatred on particular players on social media whenever the team wins or loses.
“When you say critical, I haven't been critical about what the players do,” he said. “I've been critical about narratives at times. When you do set narratives and context of how one person wins an entire match and when an entire match is lost by somebody else, that's where I'm a little averse to it. Because at the end of the day, it is the responsibility of people who are narrating the game to take the game in the right direction to the audience because the audience are relying upon them to understand the sport better.”
Ashwin: I love watching Test cricket in England
The former India allrounder, currently playing for the San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket (MLC) in the USA, revealed that he likes watching Test cricket in England. He stressed on the importance of conveying the right message to the audience who are watching the game.
“I know there is a requirement for masala. I know there is a requirement of the marketing people. I know that is a business by itself. That stays separate. When you are talking about the game there should be a talk on the game, and when it is being conveyed and expressed to the audience it must be about cricket. Which is why I love watching Test cricket when it happens in England,” Ashwin said.
Follow Wisden for all cricket updates, including live scores, match stats, quizzes and more. Stay up to date with the latest cricket news, player updates, team standings, match highlights, video analysis and live match odds.
