The opening day of the first Test between India and West Indies showcased what many feared; a gap in the quality between the two sides, as the hosts were bowled out for merely 150 in Dominica before conceding 80 without breaching India's defence. Ravichandran Ashwin ran through the Windies batting order, taking his 33rd five-wicket haul that took him to sixth spot among bowlers with most fifers in cricket history.
Ashwin made a comeback to the Indian XI after being snubbed for the World Test Championship final last month, which created quite a furore in the cricketing fraternity. India eventually lost the final by 209 runs, that aggravated the criticism towards team management's over dropping the star off-spinner.
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And it seems the pain at missing the final is still quite fresh for Ashwin, as he spoke about it in detail after taking the fifer against West Indies. The 36-year-old off-spinner stated that it was important to make a strong comeback after losing the opportunity to represent the side in the all-important title clash.
"As a cricketer when you have a shot at a WTC Final and to sit out is fine. For me, it was how do I respond and how do I make sure the dressing room is up and about," Ashwin said after India reached 80/0 at stumps on day one.
{{/usCountry}}"As a cricketer when you have a shot at a WTC Final and to sit out is fine. For me, it was how do I respond and how do I make sure the dressing room is up and about," Ashwin said after India reached 80/0 at stumps on day one.
{{/usCountry}}“Winning the WTC Final is the most important thing and it could have been a very high point in my career and I could have played a good role in it, but it was just unfortunate that it didn’t pan out and the first day left us too far behind in the shed.”
Ashwin believes the only way he could move on from the snub is performing on the field, and that “sulking” over what happened won't make a difference.
“But what is the difference between me and another person that is going to sulk (about being dropped). All I would like to give my teammates and India cricket as a whole is some understanding and my best efforts on the field and that is where I would like to leave it,” said the off-spinner.
Ashwin finished with figures of 5/60 in 23.5 overs against the West Indies, which was also his fifth five-wicket haul against the Caribbean nation. He also became the first Indian to dismiss the father-son duo in Test cricket, having scalped the wicket of Tagenarine Chanderpaul, son of batting legend Shivnarine, during the first innings.