India vs England: 'Madness', Twitterati shocked as R Ashwin is not selected for Oval Test too

England skipper Joe Root won the toss and elected to bowl against India in the fourth Test at the Oval here on Thursday as the world’s No 1 off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was ignored for the fourth time in a row. England made two changes, bringing in Ollie Pope in place of Jos Buttler, while fit-again Chris Woakes replaced Sam Curran. Buttler missed out to be with his wife, who is due to give birth to their second child. India also made two changes with Umesh Yadav replacing Ishant Sharma and Shardul Thakur coming in place of Mohammed Shami. Both Sharma and Shami are suffering from niggles. Kohli reasoned that left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja is as good an option against four left-handers in the English line-up using the rough created by the fast bowlers. Ashwin’s non-selection sent social media into a frenzy as they questioned Indian team management’s decision to leave out India’s premier spinner. Here’s how they reacted:

I really hope it works but I am flabbergasted that India have gone in without Ashwin again.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 2, 2021

The non selection of @ashwinravi99 has to be greatest NON selection we have ever witnessed across 4 Tests in the UK !!! 413 Test wickets & 5 Test 100s !!!! #ENGvIND Madness …

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) September 2, 2021

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Impossible to see Ashwin's continued absence as anything other than a huge act of self-sabotage.

India may well win, they are really good after all, but it's just way too clever by half to leave out your 400-wicket, 5 century guy.

— Rory Dollard (@thervd) September 2, 2021

I'm going to stick my neck out and say that I may not agree with @imVkohli & the management's chosen XI, but I admire their courage & conviction.
The media and fans would have been far easier on them if they had picked Ashwin, regardless of the match result.

— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) September 2, 2021

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Ravichandran Ashwin remains unselected. Ashwin took 7-126 for Surrey against Somerset at the Oval earlier this summer, and was the leading wicket-taker in the India v England series earlier this year. #ENGvIND

— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) September 2, 2021

And I doubt if any other Indian captain or anyone in the world would have benched Ashwin for four-straight Tests when the other spinner is not getting wickets. They would have swapped a batsman and made Ashwin play.

— Venkata Krishna B (@venkatatweets) September 2, 2021

No @ashwinravi99 the world’s number 2 bowler not playing at Oval.. hope the selectors know a template/something that none of us do!👍👍 #IndvsEng

— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) September 2, 2021

We know nobody answers any questions these days, but if Indian think tank—such as it is—is determined to not play Ashwin ever, why take him on such a long tour? Team selections overseas looking as whimsical as the last one in S. Africa. That lost us the series.#INDvsEND

— Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta) September 2, 2021

I can't believe they left out Ashwin again, on England's most spin-friendly ground. This team is unbelievable. You pick your five best bowlers, @ashwinravi99 has to be the first or second name. Omitting him & @MdShami11 at the Oval is like a death-wish -- as if you want to lose!

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 2, 2021

Ashwin could be playing for England before he plays for India again.

— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) September 2, 2021

With inputs from PTI