Ravichandran Ashwin's job as the Indian Test team's premier spinner is under threat it seems, and that too from a teammate in the squad itself.
That player is none other than Cheteshwar Pujara, who is one of the batting mainstays in India's top-order. The 35-year-old was seen bowling leg-spin in the Ahmedabad Test on Monday.
Pujara bowled just his second over in Test cricket as Rohit Sharma handed him the ball in penultimate over of the match. He bowled leg-spin and conceded just 1 run against Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne.
Watching Pujara bowl, Ashwin gave a hilarious reaction on social media and asked his followers if he should leave his job of spin bowling or not.
"Main kya karu? Job chod du?" Ashwin wrote along with a picture of Pujara bowling.
The batter was quick to respond to Ashwin's tweet.
"Nahi. This was just to say thank you for going 1 down in Nagpur," Pujara tweeted.
"Your intent is appreciated but wonder how this is a payback," Ashwin replied.
Rohit even gave opener Shubman Gill to roll his arm over after Pujara but the opener got to bowl just one ball before both captains decided to shake hands and end the match in a draw.
Notably, Ashwin finished as the highest wicket-taker in BGT 2023 and was adjudged joint Player of the Series along with spin-twin Ravindra Jadeja. Ashwin bagged 25 wickets while Jadeja picked 22, the same tally as Australian off--spinner Nathan Lyon.
India clinch BGT and set up WTC final vs Australia
India clinched the Border-Gavaskar series 2-1 after winning the first two Tests and reclaimed the BGT for the fourth time in succession.
India also qualified for the ICC World Test Championship thanks to New Zealand's win over Sri Lanka in the Christchurch Test on Monday.
India and Australia will now face off in the WTC final which will be played at The Oval in London from June 7.
This will be the second time in succession that India will play the WTF summit clash, after losing to New Zealand in the inaugural final at the Rose Bowl in Southampton in 2021.
