Ravichandran Ashwin, India’s prolific spinner, has etched his name in the annals of Test cricket history by equaling the record for most ‘Player of the Series’ awards. His stellar performance in the recently concluded Test series against Bangladesh earned him his 11th such accolade, drawing him level with Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan.
However, a recent revelation by the Indian Express has shed light on an administrative oversight that could have seen Ashwin break the record even earlier. During India’s tour of the West Indies in 2023, Ashwin’s exceptional performance with both bat and ball went unrecognized when the ‘Player of the Series’ award was inexplicably omitted.
India emerged victorious in the two-match Test series, with Ashwin emerging as the standout performer. His tally of 15 wickets placed him among the frontrunners for the award. However, at the conclusion of the second Test, the award was conspicuously absent.
Had Ashwin received the award in the West Indies, he would have equaled Muralitharan’s record at that time. The subsequent award against Bangladesh would have then seen him claim the world record.
The Indian Express reached out to Cricket West Indies (CWI) for an explanation, but the organization claimed that the award was the responsibility of an Indian agency. However, the agency in question stated that they were only responsible for the commercial aspects of the series, while the ‘Man of the Series’ award fell under CWI’s purview.
Despite the administrative error, Ashwin remains on the cusp of history. He will have the opportunity to claim the world record when India takes on New Zealand in a three-match Test series starting October 16. The Indian team will also travel to Australia later in the year for a five-match Test series, and Ashwin’s current form suggests that he will be a key member of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy squad.
