Ravichandran Ashwin Recalls Ravi Shastri's Remark That "Absolutely Crushed" Him

India's premier off-spinner R Ashwin has revealed that he felt like he was being "thrown under the bus" after a remark by former head coach Ravi Shastri left him "crushed" during a torrid phase in his career.

India's premier off-spinner R Ashwin has revealed that he felt like he was being "thrown under the bus" after a remark by former head coach Ravi Shastri left him "crushed" during a torrid phase in his career when he contemplated retirement multiple times. In an interview with 'ESPNcricinfo', Ashwin was asked how he felt when then coach Shastri anointed Kuldeep Yadav as India's No. 1 spinner overseas after he had taken a five-for in the 2019 Sydney Test against Australia. Ashwin said he was genuinely happy for Kuldeep as he knew how difficult it is to take five wickets as a spinner in Australia but Shastri's remarks left him "absolutely crushed".

"I hold Ravi bhai in high esteem. We all do. And I understand we all can say things and then retract them. In that moment, though, I felt crushed. Absolutely crushed," Ashwin said.

"We all talk about how important it is to enjoy your team-mates' success. And I was happy for Kuldeep. I have not been able to get a five-for but he has a five-for in Australia. I know how big it is. Even when I have bowled well (at other times), I haven't ended up with a five-for. So I am genuinely happy for him. And it's an extremely happy occasion, to win in Australia.

"But if I have to come and partake in his happiness, and the success of the team, I must feel like I belong there. If I feel like I am being thrown under the bus, how am I supposed to get up and come for a party to enjoy the team's or team-mate's success?" Ashwin, however, still made it to the celebration party that was organised following the Indian's team's historic series triumph Down Under.

"I went back to my room and then I spoke to my wife. And my children were there. So we were able to, you know, shrug it off, and I still made it to the party, because, end of the day, we had won a massive series." The 35-year-old said that recurring injuries meant that he was playing under "excruciating pain" when he took three wickets in each innings to lead India to victory in the first Test.