R Ashwin Reveals How Ravi Shastri Wanted to Settle For a Draw in Australia But Rohit Sharma Wanted Nothing But a Win

R Ashwin recounted that Ravi Shastri was troubled by the weather forecast, given rain had already curtained Day 4 of the 2020-21 final BGT Test.

R Ashwin Reveals How Ravi Shastri Wanted to Settle For a Draw in Australia But Rohit Sharma Wanted Nothing But a Win

R Ashwin revealed that Rohit Sharma wanted to go for the win during the 2020-21 BGT Gabba Test, against Ravi Shastri's wishes. (via ESPN Cricinfo)

In Short
  • R Ashwin revealed a strategic clash between Ravi Shastri and Rohit Sharma during the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
  • Shastri favored a defensive approach aiming for a draw, while Sharma pushed for an aggressive chase for victory.
  • India ultimately won the fourth Test at the Gabba, ending Australia's 32-year unbeaten streak there.

Former Indian spinner R Ashwin made a striking revelation regarding the team’s strategy during the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Ashwin talked about the difference in strategies between then-Team India head coach Ravi Shastri and former captain Rohit Sharma.

The 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy was historic, as India secured only its second Test series victory on Australian soil, concluding the four-match contest 2-1. While the hosts secured an eight-wicket win in the first Test in Adelaide, the visitors staged an impressive comeback, winning in Melbourne and Brisbane to claim the series. Youngsters like Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill rose to the occasion. 

R Ashwin, who was a part of the Indian side, recently pulled back the curtain on the intense moments of the series, particularly on the final day of the fourth Test at the Gabba in Brisbane. Ashwin revealed a significant detail about a clash of opinions between the then-head coach Shastri and the team’s senior-most player, Sharma. Heading into the final day of the match, India was chasing a daunting target of 328 runs, where the 39-year-old revealed that the dressing room had split.

The point of contention was regarding how the run-chase would be handled by the side. Ashwin shared that Shastri was in favor of a defensive strategy and that he was adamant about securing a draw. As the spinner revealed, the head coach even advised players to avoid risky shots and concentrate on batting out the remaining overs. However, Sharma dismissed this cautious outlook, which the spinner noted made the dressing room atmosphere much livelier.

Ashwin disclosed that Rohit Sharma, differing with the head coach’s recommendation, believed in the Indian batters aggressively chasing down the target instead of playing with the fear of defeat. The former spinner summarized the situation by calling it the ‘beauty’ of Test cricket.

Sharma’s aggressive mindset won, as the Men in Blue achieved a remarkable three-wicket victory, which included Rishabh Pant scoring an unbeaten 89 runs, accomplishing what was widely referred to as the ‘Gabba Miracle’. Ashwin said during the Cricinfo Honors ceremony:

That’s the beauty of Test Cricket and in the later part of the game, Rohit [Sharma] wanted Rishabh [Pant] to go for the win and Ravi [Shastri] Bhai wanted to go for the draw. They just kept egging and flowing for the next 2 hours.

The Brisbane victory ended Australia’s 32-year unbeaten streak at the Gabba. Furthermore, Ashwin recounted details that demonstrated Shastri’s intense passion for red-ball cricket, disclosing that the 64-year-old even broke a glass bottle in the final moments against Australia.

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R Ashwin blasts out at his former IPL team, says Rajasthan Royals ‘let Vaibhav Sooryavanshi down’ 

Indian cricket legend R Ashwin lashed out at his former IPL team, Rajasthan Royals, and their senior players, for letting Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ‘down’. His comments followed the Men in Pink’s disappointing IPL 2026 Qualifier 2 defeat to the Gujarat Titans, which led to their elimination. 

R Ashwin on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
R Ashwin exclaimed that the RR players let Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ‘down’. (via NDTV Sports)

RR lost by seven wickets to GT, which allowed Shubman Gill and Co. to seal a place in the final. For the Royals, Sooryavanshi rose to the occasion again, registering his third 90+ score of the season to take his team to a first-innings total of 214/6. He scored 96 off 47, with the help of 8 fours and 7 sixes, showing maturity beyond his age. However, the Titans chased it down in just 18.4 overs, courtesy of Gill’s hundred. 

What left R Ashwin irked was the fact that the 15-year-old waged a lone battle against the GT pacers. The only significant contributions came from Ravindra Jadeja (45) and Donovan Ferreira (38), while Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, and Dasun Shanaka were all poorly dismissed. Ashwin criticized the senior players and the RR management, observing that the young opener looked ‘pale’ after the defeat. R Ashwin on his YouTube channel:

He [Vaibhav Sooryavanshi] deserved better. RR were underwhelming… Rajasthan Royals let down that young boy’s incredible innings. In fact, incredible isn’t even enough to describe what Sooryavanshi produced today.

Ashwin also described Sooryavanshi’s remarkable 2026 IPL campaign. The teenage batting sensation scored 776 runs in 16 matches this season, at an average of over 40 and a blistering strike-rate of 237.31, with five half-centuries and a century.

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