'My job's not to butter everyone’s toast, glad I made that statement' - Ravi Shastri on R Ashwin's 'I felt crushed' remark

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has responded to Ravichandran Ashwin’s ‘I felt crushed’ admission. While speaking at an event, Shastri, in his inimitable style, clarified that him giving Kuldeep Yadav a chance was only fair as the latter had bowled well on the Australia tour, while Ashwin was not a part of the playing XI in Sydney.

Shastri stood by his words and went on to reckon that he is glad to know he hurt Ashwin as that forced him to do “something different”, while adding that he would have taken such comments from his coach as a “challenge”, attempting to prove himself.

“[R] Ashwin did not play the Test in Sydney and Kuldeep [Yadav] bowled well. So, it’s fair I give Kuldeep a chance,” Shastri said in a conversation with Indian Express e.Adda. “If that hurt Ashwin, I am very happy. It made him do something different. My job is not to butter everyone’s toast. My job is to state facts without agenda.”

“If your coach challenges you, what will you do – go home crying and say I won’t come back? I, as a player, would take it as a challenge, to prove the coach wrong. If my statement on Kuldeep hurt Ashwin, I am glad I made that statement. It made him do something different.”

To enjoy the team’s or teammate’s success, a player must feel he belongs: R Ashwin

Ashwin, in his recent interview with ESPNcricinfo, admitted that he felt crushed when Shastri labelled Kuldeep as India’s No.1 overseas spinner. He added that even though he wanted to feel happy for his teammate’s success, he was surrounded by a feeling of lack of belongingness.

“… I felt crushed. Absolutely crushed. 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,” Ashwin had said.

“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? 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,” he added.