West Indies vs India 2019: Why it was unfair to drop Ravichandran Ashwin

It is August already, and Ravichandran Ashwin is yet to play a single international game this year.

India's premier off-spinner finds himself warming the bench as dynamic all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been picked as the lone spinner in the opening Test against West Indies.

Instantaneously dropped from the limited-overs scheme of things, the surprising exclusion from the playing XI in the longest version of the game leaves Ashwin's international career at an interesting juncture.

The experienced campaigner, who has been the centerpiece of India's escalation to the pinnacle of the Test rankings, has eventually fallen down the pecking order for the position of India's frontline spinner in recent times.

Ravindra Jadeja

Though the argument in favor of Jadeja is his batting prowess, one simply cannot ignore the fact that the senior counterpart has done little wrong to be abruptly omitted from the playing XI. The exclusion means the offie is out of the fourth straight Test, after missing the last three in Australia due to an abdominal strain.

The startling decision has raised eyebrows in the cricketing fraternity. Legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar expressed his disappointment at the exclusion of the veteran spin bowler, despite his brilliant record in the Caribbean. "[The selection] astonished me,” Gavaskar exclaimed during commentary, questioning the wisdom behind the absurd selection call. “A man with that kind of record, especially against West Indies. He doesn’t find a place in this playing XI. That is stunning. Astonishing.” added Gavaskar, hardly able to suppress his anger.

Sunil Gavaskar

To put things in perspective, it is noteworthy to mention that the spin wizard was India's most distinguished performer on India's preceding tour of West Indies in 2016. Justifiably rewarded as the Man of the Series for bagging 17 wickets in 4 matches, the proficient tweaker also dismantled the Calypso men with two magnificent centuries.

Boasting of 60 wickets in 11 matches at a phenomenal average of 21.85 and a tremendous strike rate of 46.2, Ashwin's red-ball credentials against West Indies speak for themselves. The fastest in the world to both 250 and 300 Test wickets, the master spinner has scalped 342 wickets at an average of 25.43 in 65 Tests overall.

Earlier this year, Ashwin also plied his trade for Nottinghamshire in England’s County Cricket, concluding the flourishing season with 23 wickets at an excellent average of 19.91 with best figures of 12/144 in the match against Surrey. Commendable bowling displays under alien conditions silenced his doubters who repeatedly criticized him for underachieving in overseas fixtures.

While statistics show that Ashwin's bowling performances in overseas conditions are significantly weaker, the fact that outright spinners in the world predominantly thrive in sub-continental conditions needs to be taken into consideration by the team management. It is high time that Ashwin's remarkable exploits at the international level are appreciated.

One of the greatest spinners ever produced in India, Ashwin is a world-class performer and he certainly needs to be treated like one.

Follow Sportskeeda for all the updates on IND vs WI live score 2019, IND vs WI schedule 2019, news, results, points table, most runs, most wickets and fantasy tips.