Leaving Ashwin out of WTC Final will be India’s biggest regret: Dinesh Karthik

India’s veteran wicket-keeper bat Dinesh Karthik feels leaving Ravichandran Ashwin out of the World Test Championship final against Australia will be the team’s biggest regret. India decided to back a four-pace attack as they included Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, and Shardul Thakur whereas Ravindra Jadeja played as a solitary spinner.

India went on lose their second consecutive WTC final by 209 runs and a lot of cricket experts questioned the team’s decision to not pick Ravichandran Ashwin, who has been a match-winner for the team. Ashwin has certainly improved his overseas renditions and he had played a key role in taking the team to the final of the WTC.

In fact, Ashwin bagged a total of 12 wickets in the first Test match against a depleted West Indies side after the WTC final. The veteran spinner has scalped 489 wickets in 94 Test matches at an average of 23.66.

Furthermore, Ashwin bagged a total of 25 wickets in the four Test matches of the Border-Gavaskar series against Australia earlier in the year.

Meanwhile, Australia decided to bring back Todd Murphy in the fifth and final Ashes Test match against England at Kennington Oval, London. Murphy was dropped from the fourth Test but replaced Cameron Green in the final game.

“Todd Murphy is coming in. We know the pitch is dry, Nathan. Lyon has done well at the Oval over a period of time. So the obvious change,” Dinesh Karthik told Sky Sports.

“But India left R Ashwin as well, didn’t they? In the World Test championship final. And that possibly cost them because this pitch is dry. You are unearthing a cab wound there. I think we should let that go. But yes, I think they do when they look back at it. That is one of the biggest regrets they could have,” Karthik added.

In fact, Ashwin had also shared his disappointment after he was left out in the WTC final against Australia but later revealed he decided to move on quickly. Ashwin took a total of 15 wickets in the two Test matches against the West Indies.