"Overthinker" tag denied India's test captaincy: Ravi Ashwin makes a shocking revelation

India all-rounder Ravi Ashwin reveals what might've costed him test captaincy role.

Ravi Ashwin is probably the best test spinner that has represented India in last decade of so. In fact, he is among the leading wicket-taking spinners in the modern-day cricket. His presence in India's test team gives a solidity because he is a match-winner with the ball and has also turned the game in India's favour with some useful innings lower down the order. Being the senior bowler in the team, he is also the leader of the pack.

But what stopped him from becoming India's next test captain after Virat Kohli stepped down from the role in January 2022?. Once Virat decided to leave the test captaincy, Rohit Sharma took the charge. But there were a few other names as well, which came into discussion like KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah. However, there were a few that suggested Ravi Ashwin for the test captaincy role.

"A lot of people marketed me and positioned me that I am an overthinker"- Ravi Ashwin

Ravi Ashwin is not new in terms of leading a team. He has done it at the domestic level and also in the Indian Premier League. But despite all these not many thought that the veteran off-spinner can lead the Indian test side. However, Ashwin now opened up and spoke on the possible reason that why he was denied the captaincy role. In an interaction with Indian Express, the 36-year-old said that he has been considered an "over thinker."

He said that many peoples called him a overthinker, but if you are playing 15-20 matches on the go then you have be thinking mentally. Ravi Ashwin said, ''If somebody is going to tell me, ‘you’re going to play 15 matches, you will be looked after, you are responsible for players, you are in the leadership role, I won’t be overthinking. Why would I?'. It’s unfair to actually say somebody’s an overthinker because that person’s journey is his own. And nobody has a right or business to do that. It was created to work against me, right? And as I said, there have been statements that people have made all along when leadership question has come my way, there have been people who are been out there telling, my name is not the first name of the sheet when India tour abroad."

He also opened up on the opinions by veteran and former cricketers who used to say that Ravi Ashwin would not play if it is an overseas match. However, he concluded, "Whether that name is first on the sheet or not is something I can’t control. If I earned it, it’s got to be there and that’s my belief. As I said, I have no complaints, I have no time to sit back and throw punches or regret or anything. I have no regrets about anyone".

The 36-year-old led Punjab Kings in 2018 and 2019 seasons, respectively. Not just a captaincy candidate, Ashwin has not been the vice-captain of the team for once in his entire test career.