Credit for India’s aggressive batting intent in white ball cricket goes to Rohit, Dravid: Ashwin

India’s aggressive batting approach, which has brought a lot of success, is credit to former captain Rohit Sharma and ex-head coach Rahul Dravid, according to Ravichandran Ashwin.

The former Indian off-spinner said the duo not only preached a more attacking style but also led by example, triggering a shift in India’s approach in T20Is and ODIs.

“Rohit as a captain has always been laying his stamp by showing the team what he wants from it. The transitional batting that India has gone through in T20 cricket and ODI cricket—the way we bat fast—a lot of credit for that goes to Rohit and Rahul bhai,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat.’

“They showed the way, Rahul bhai said this is how we have to play and Rohit showed the way..paved the way and eventually it has changed the way how Indian perceived batting. Batting is not average it is purely strike rate in white ball cricket,” he added.

Under Rohit and Dravid, India adopted a more proactive template after a series of disappointing ICC campaigns. The change was visible during the 2023 ODI World Cup at home, where India dominated the league stage with an attacking mindset, and later in the 2024 T20 World Cup triumph in the Caribbean and USA.

With stalwarts Rohit and Virat Kohli now featuring only in ODI cricket after stepping away from the other two formats, Ashwin urged fans to cherish their remaining time in international cricket.

“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.

“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. It is very important that we realise that the time is less. So it is better that we enjoy whatever they are doing,”

“Something wrong” with team selection

Ashwin also questioned the Indian team selection after all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy’s exclusion from the playing XI in the first ODI against South Africa, despite Hardik Pandya being unavailable.

Many expected Reddy, a pace-bowling all-rounder like Pandya, to slot in for the series opener on Sunday. However, the youngster was left to warm the bench.

“If we are not able to find a place for Nitish Kumar Reddy in a team that does not have Hardik Pandya, then there is something wrong in the squad selection, seriously.

“Why was he picked? Because the fact that he can give what Hardik can give, and can get better over a period of time. But, if we can’t find a place for Nitish Kumar Reddy in this particular XI, then the squad selection must be properly reviewed,” Ashwin said.