Ashwin ignites row, calls out BCCI’s ‘insensitive handling’ of Kohli, Rohit ODI saga: Why weren't they told after T20WC?

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin did not delve into the right and wrong aspect of the speculation on Kohli and Rohit's future and on the selection committee's decision to name Shubman Gill as the new ODI captain, but rather stressed the need for better communication with players who are in the twilight of their career.

The veteran bowler, who retired from international cricket last December, further explained that Indian cricket lacks a proper transition plan, with minimal knowledge transfer and communication between senior players, such as Kohli and Rohit, and emerging talents, leaving no roadmap for handling pressure, injuries, or leadership handovers effectively.

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"On one side is selection, on the other side is Kohli and Rohit. These are two sides of the same coin. Upon examining the selection, it is clear that the selectors are moving forward. However, in this process, they have two players who are nearing the end of their careers. However, one thing I would like to mention is that you need to improve the way you handle such players. It is very easy to say that they have grown old and they should retire. One of the reasons we feel this way is that we see many young players in the IPL performing well, and we believe they can replace these experienced players. However, during this process, one thing we often overlook is solid communication and knowledge transfer. I request that this be addressed in the future," he said.

"Knowledge transfer, or KT, doesn't mean Kohli and Rohit will be teaching Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma new shots; rather, it will show them how to handle pressure situations and deal with injuries. The way Kohli and Rohit batted in the 2023 ODI World Cup, they have nothing to prove, but does the KT have any space? There is actually no space for KT in Indian cricket because there is no transition phase. Rahul Dravid was a coach at one time, then Gautam Gambhir took over. We did not have any template that, after Dravid, Gambhir would be the coach, so taking a KT from Dravid was not possible. And after Gambhir, for whom will the KT go? If there is no roadmap from the management side, this cannot happen from the players' side."

While Ashwin did not confirm if Rohit and Kohli were only informed about the selection committee's plan right before the ODI series against Australia, for which both have been picked, but he reckoned it would have been wrong. He felt the right time to inform them about the roadmap was immediately after they quit the T20I format following their World Cup win last year in Barbados.

" I really hope the conversation has already taken place with Kohli and Rohit. But if it happened now, why didn't it happen during their retirement from T20Is in the World Cup last year? Had they been told then, they would have said, 'Okay, boss, do we want to play because this is what the team wants to take a direction and this is what the choices are?' But this leaves a lot of uninformed space, which leads to speculations. And there shouldn't be speculations. It should have been a straight conversation. If the communication is not clear and transparent, and if it is not done with a forward-looking vision, it leaves players in a very vulnerable position," he said.

Ashwin concluded by saying that, given Kohli and Rohit’s contribution to Indian cricket, the BCCI owed them clear communication, respect, and opportunities, emphasising that sensitivity and proper handling were essential for their continued involvement ahead of the World Cup.

"Given the magnitude of their contribution to Indian cricket, there was a need for communication, not only to them, but also to everyone, explaining how we communicated and what it entails. There are still two years until the World Cup, and if they do make it, I will take my hat off to both of them, because that would require immense commitment, as they won't get much cricket beyond the IPL. For them to achieve it, they need that opportunity, and they have deserved that respect. So that sensitivity was required."

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