Ravichandran Ashwin, the spinner for the Indian cricket team, was recognized as the ‘Player of the Series’ for his outstanding performance in the recent Test series against Bangladesh. This marked Ashwin’s 11th such award, tying him with the legendary Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan for the record.
However, according to a report by Indian Express, Ashwin may have missed out on setting a new record due to an administrative error during India’s 2023 tour of the West Indies, where he was overlooked for the ‘Player of the Series’ despite taking 15 wickets in a victorious two-match series. If he had received that award, he would have equaled Muralitharan’s record then, making his recent acknowledgment against Bangladesh a chance to surpass it.
The Indian Express sought comments from Cricket West Indies (CWI), which attributed the oversight to an Indian agency responsible for series management, while the agency claimed they only handled commercial matters, leaving the award decisions to CWI.
Ashwin now has an opportunity to break the world record when India faces New Zealand in a three-match Test series beginning October 16, followed by a trip to Australia for a five-match Test series. Given his current form, he is anticipated to be included in the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
