Ravichandran Ashwin disclosed that he had cautioned Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma against preparing extreme turning pitches ahead of India's 3-0 Test series loss to New Zealand at home.
Ravichandran Ashwin has revealed that he cautioned head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma against preparing rank-turner pitches before India's Test series against New Zealand. The advice went unheeded, and India suffered a 3-0 sweep at home, the first time the nation had been swept in a series of three or more matches on home soil.
Ashwin's core argument centred on a fundamental principle of pitch preparation. He contended that when a surface turns sharply from the opening day, the visiting team's spinners benefit equally from those conditions. The advantage does not remain exclusive to the home side simply because the pitch is prepared at home. New Zealand's spin attack capitalised on this reality across the series.
"I had told coach Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma that we didn’t need rank-turner pitches, but they didn’t listen," Ashwin said on Aakash Chopra's YouTube channel.
India were bowled out for 46 in Bengaluru, their lowest Test total at home. The Black Caps won matches in Pune and Mumbai on turning surfaces, securing the unprecedented sweep. Ashwin took 9 wickets at an average of 41.22 across the three Tests, finishing with 537 Test wickets and six centuries in his international career.
Washington Sundar claimed 16 wickets at an average of 21.56 in the series. Mitchell Santner took 13 wickets in his only Test appearance, which came in Pune. Ajaz Patel captured 15 wickets across the series. Ashwin went past Anil Kumble to become the highest wicket-taker at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, where India lost by 25 runs.
Rishabh Pant was the only Indian batter to pass 200 runs in the series, scoring 261 runs across the three matches. The whitewash marked one of the most shattering experiences of Ashwin's career, coming after Gambhir had persuaded him to play the home season during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy period.
The results support his argument. New Zealand’s lesser-known spinners outshone their more famous Indian counterparts.