R Ashwin says perception of him as an ‘overthinker’ led to him missing out on leadership roles | Cricket News

Ravichandran Ashwin is one of the most calculating and shrewd cricketers to have played the sport for India, but the spinner believes that the tag of being an ‘overthinker’ has consently worked to his detriment, to the point that it has cost him leadership opportunities in teams.
In the recent five-match Test series against England at home, Ashwin crossed the 100th Test mark and also took his 500th Test wicket, both milestones that put him in exclusive clubs.
However, despite all of his achievements with the ball and his ability to outthink opponents, Ashwin has not led teams too often in his career.
On being asked at a recent Idea Exchange with The Indian Express if the ‘overthinker’ label has worked against him, Ashwin said: “Everybody has unique methods. A method that’s worked for me, will not work for (Ravindra) Jadeja. The cricket community likes to keep it really simple. Unless it’s completely broken, they wouldn’t try to mend it.
India’s R Ashwin during the award ceremony after India won the fifth Test cricket match over England, in Dharamsala, Saturday, March 9, 2024. India win the five-match series 4-1. (PTI Photo)
“But I come from a school where even before it’s broken, I want to make sure I stitch it up and don’t get to a point where it’s broken. Why is it happening? That’s the question that people fail to recognise. I am addressing something before they believe I should address it. Because their journey is different and mine is different. They might get five opportunities but I will get only two. And I made peace with the fact that I will only get two.
“It’s not like I change my action and tomorrow if I am leading a side, I would go to Jadeja and tell him that he should change his action. I’m not that dumb. In a way, people just assumed that that’s how it could be. They just thought he would not fit the bill as a leader and that’s quite an unfair assessment,” Ashwin added.