In a revealing analysis, veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has attributed the national cricket team's recent, more aggressive batting philosophy directly to the influence of former captain Rohit Sharma and ex-head coach Rahul Dravid. Ashwin stated that their combined push for a faster scoring rate fundamentally altered the team's mindset in limited-overs cricket.
The Blueprint for Aggression
Speaking on his popular YouTube channel 'Ash Ki Baat', Ashwin explained that the transformational shift in India's T20 and ODI batting was not accidental. He credited Rohit Sharma for leading by example and Rahul Dravid for providing the strategic framework. "Rohit as a captain has always been laying his stamp by showing the team what he wants from it," Ashwin said. He emphasized that the duo not only preached an attacking game but also practiced it themselves, convincing the entire squad to follow suit.
Ashwin highlighted a crucial change in perspective that the leadership instilled. "Batting is not average, it is purely strike rate in white ball cricket," he remarked, summarizing the new core principle. This marked a significant departure from more conservative approaches of the past, where building an innings was often prioritized over immediate intent.
A Response to ICC Heartbreaks
According to Ashwin's insights, this proactive shift in strategy was a direct response to a series of disappointing outcomes in ICC tournaments. The new, fearless approach was first prominently displayed during the 2023 ODI World Cup hosted in India, where the team dominated the league stage with their attacking brand of cricket.
The philosophy ultimately bore its richest fruit at the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and USA, where India ended an 11-year ICC trophy drought by clinching the title. The team's batting throughout the tournament reflected the high-risk, high-reward mindset championed by Rohit and Dravid, with the captain himself setting the tone with blistering knocks from the outset.
Cherish Kohli and Rohit, Says Ashwin
With both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli now retired from T20 Internationals and Test cricket, focusing solely on ODIs, Ashwin issued a heartfelt plea to fans. He urged them to fully appreciate the remaining time these modern legends have on the international stage.
"I will say one thing, how much time we have to watch and enjoy Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma bat, please let’s do it because once they are done, we could hear talks like ‘oh, what a player he was! Please bring him back’. That doesn’t cut ice for me," Ashwin stated candidly.
He added a poignant note on the passage of time, advising supporters to celebrate the stars while they are still active. "For however long they play, let us celebrate them as long as they are playing. As I said, life moves on very fast. Time does not wait for anyone," Ashwin concluded, reminding everyone that an iconic era in Indian cricket is gradually drawing to a close.
