'What people understood is different': Ashwin's shocking U-Turn on 'friend-colleagues' revelation on Team India

The 36-year-old has now revealed that the "friends-colleague" revelation was misread by people.

In the wake of India's disappointing World Test Championship loss earlier in June and the rising criticism around the management dropping their highest wicket-taker in Ravichandran Ashwin from the playing XI, the off-spinner had exposed a sad reality of the dressing room scenario in the Indian team. In his first interview since being dropped, Ashwin had revealed that intense competition for each and every slot in the side, across formats, has left teammates as mere colleagues, with the word friendship taking a back seat. Two months later, Ashwin took a shocking U-turn on his remark, explaining the viral comment has been misread by people.

India's Ravichandran Ashwin had earlier exposed a sad reality of the dressing room scenario in the Indian team (AFP)

Speaking to Indian Express a few days after the Indian team returned from London after their defeat to Australia in the WTC final, Ashwin was asked whether he spoke to any of his teammates or looked for support from friends inside the dressing room amid the snub and the veteran spinner replied saying, "It's a deep topic". He then continued saying: "This is an era where everybody is a colleague. Once upon a time when cricket was played, all your teammates were friends. Now, they’re colleagues. There’s a big difference because here people are there to advance themselves and to stride ahead of another person sitting to your right or left. So nobody’s got the time to say, ‘okay, boss what are you up to’?" He eventually summed it up saying: "It’s an isolated journey".

The comment had later gone viral in the cricket fraternity with former India head coach Ravi Shastri giving a sharp response to Ashwin while young Prithvi Shaw indirectly admitted the same during his interaction with Cricbuzz.

However, the 36-year-old has now revealed that the "friends-colleague" revelation was misread by people. When asked by Times of India whether he meant that his opinion was a result of growing competition in the side, thus adding to a toxic team environment, Ashwin clarified friendship between teammates was possible earlier because of long tours, but with players engaging in cricket throughout the calendar year across formats, they are more focused on keeping the competitive spirit alive.

"What I said and what people are understanding are completely different. What I meant was that earlier, because the tours used to be long, there was more scope for friendship. But these days we are constantly playing --- different formats, different teams. One thing I have always believed is that when you are playing for different teams, it is very difficult to be friends. You have to keep that competitive spirit burning to be able to compete," he said.

Ashwin further explained with IPL as a topic of reference saying that with international teammates more often going against each other in the tournament which lasts for about three months, they would want to be in competitive mode.

"When you play IPL, for three months your (international) teammates end up becoming your opposition. When you play so much for different teams, I am not saying friendship doesn't happen, but it is very difficult. But then again, that is the way of the world -- the changing landscape -- and I don't think there is anything negative about it," he added.