IPL 2024: Virender Sehwag Slams Ravichandran Ashwin For 'Wicket-Taking Is Becoming Irrelevant' Remark

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been in the news recently for his opinion on where T20 cricket is heading towards based on the dominance of the batters in the IPL 2024 season. Ashwin hasn't been among the wickets for the Rajasthan Royals this IPL season. Speaking on his official YouTube channel, Ashwin has said that he plays more of a holding bowler for the Royals than a wicket-taking one and that the latter is becoming increasingly irrelevant in the shortest format. Meanwhile, pacers Mitchell McCleneghan and Varun Aaron disagreed with Ashwin's statements that "wicket-taking is becoming irrelevant in T20 cricket", former India cricketer Virender Sehwag joined the party, giving his take on the off-spinner's opinion.

Virender Sehwag slams Ravichandran Ashwin for 'wicket-taking is becoming irrelevant' remark

The inaugural IPL champions, Rajasthan Royals, have been in top-class form in the IPL 2024 season with eight victories in nine matches and are almost guaranteed a top-two spot. However, there seems to be a massive concern for the Royals, which is the form of star all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin. Ashwin has had a quiet season so far, as he has managed only two wickets at an economy rate of nine in eight matches so far. Meanwhile, pacers Mitchell McCleneghan and Varun Aaron disagreed with Ashwin's statements that "wicket-taking is becoming irrelevant in T20 cricket", former India cricketer Virender Sehwag joined the party, giving his take on the off-spinner's opinion.

"Sometimes, even when you bowl well, you go for 40 runs. Many teams these days use AI and technology and what's emerged out of those is that wicket-taking is becoming irrelevant in T20 cricket. If you look at this IPL wicket-taking is sometimes hampering certain teams," Ashwin said.

In comparison with the instance when star Indian wicketkeeper batter KL Rahul had said that strike rates are "overrated" in T20 cricket, Virender Sehwag expressed that Ashwin might not end up with an IPL team next year if he does not improve his bowling numbers in the future. Sehwag also highlighted that every team picks a bowler for their wicket-taking ability, not just for saving runs.

"This is the same as when KL Rahul had said that the strike rate doesn't matter. Same thing. He said it for batting, Ashwin has said it for bowling that it doesn't matter if you take wickets. If his [Ashwin's] stats aren't good, then he may not even get picked in the auction next year. When you pick a bowler, do you expect him to give away 25-30 runs, or do you expect him to give you wickets and become Player of the Match twice or thrice?" Sehwag said.

Comparing Ravichandran Ashwin with his competitors and their wicket-taking performances in IPL 2024, Virender Sehwag revealed that the limited usage of Ashwin's off-spin delivery and his over-experimentation with the carrom ball is hampering his wicket-taking skills. Sehwag believed that if Ashwin's confidence in his off-spin or doosra is reignited, he will start picking a lot more wickets in the IPL 2024 season.

"All his competitors - Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav or anyone else - are getting wickets. He thinks if he bowls off-spin, then anyone will hit him, which is why he bowls his carrom bowl, which is why he is not getting any wickets. Maybe, if he believes in his off-spin or doosra, he can bag more wickets," Sehwag added.

With eight victories in nine matches, Rajasthan Royals are almost guaranteed a top-two spot, taking them six points clear of Kolkata Knight Riders in second place, and has all but assured them of a place in the IPL 2024 playoffs with five games in hand. The Royals next take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on May 2.