Kamal Ghorui
Ravichandran Ashwin and Virat Kohli share a cricketing journey that stretches back over a decade. Both stepped into Test cricket in 2011 and, over the years that followed, Ashwin became Kohli’s first-choice spinner for a significant phase of India’s red-ball success. Under Kohli’s captaincy, Ashwin scaled new heights, eventually becoming India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Tests. Their time together produced several defining moments for Indian cricket. The historic Test series win in Australia in 2018, sustained dominance at home where Ashwin was often unplayable, five consecutive years at the top of the ICC Test rankings and a place in the World Test Championship final all form part of their shared legacy.
Interestingly, both announced their Test retirements within months of each other. During their playing days, there were frequent reports suggesting differences in outlook, particularly around Ashwin’s selection in overseas Tests under Kohli’s leadership. Yet those narratives were softened by scenes from Ashwin’s final days with the team, when he shared a warm embrace with Kohli before confirming his international retirement. Ashwin has also been a regular target of online trolling. Responding to a social media post that accused him of taking an indirect swipe at Kohli, the veteran spinner clarified that he had spoken directly to the former captain. On X, Ashwin wrote: “Just spoke to Virat about concern on the indirect attack, and we both had a good laugh about how social media works on such clickbait fan wars. Thanks for giving us a reason to bond and talk.”
R Ashwin post
Fan-driven rivalries continue to dominate online cricket discourse. Supporters often clash over their favourite players, with the most intense battles involving fans of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Similar divisions have existed for years between followers of Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar, and between Kohli and MS Dhoni, highlighting how player loyalty often fuels endless debates in the digital space.
