Former Indian great spinner Ravichandran Ashwin named Sachin Tendulkar as the greatest cricketer of all time in India. In an engaging bracket game with ESPN Cricinfo, Ashwin went through various rounds, selecting one of the Indian legends from different eras and formats. During this process, he made several controversial decisions that attracted the attention of cricket fans.
Ashwin's most difficult and unexpected decision was made in the quarterfinals. He had to choose between Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah. Although Ashwin acknowledged Virat's brilliant achievements across three formats and his Test career, he chose Bumrah. He joked that perhaps as a bowler, he felt some sympathy for Bumrah, despite Virat being an undisputed legend.
When it came to choosing between MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja, Ashwin hesitated. He noted that Jadeja's selection was very appealing, but considering Dhoni's captaincy qualities, as well as his performances in Tests and ODIs, he supported Mahi. Nevertheless, Dhoni's journey did not go far; in the quarterfinals, when Dhoni faced Virender Sehwag, Ashwin chose Sehwag without hesitation.
Earlier in the game, Sehwag managed to get past Sunil Gavaskar, which Ashwin called a certain injustice to Gavaskar. There was also a moment when Ashwin's own name was pitted against former captain Sourav Ganguly. Ashwin showed wisdom by stepping aside and stating: 'Oh God! I will play cautiously and choose Sourav Ganguly.'
Additionally, in the early rounds, he selected Sachin over Vijay Hazare, Kohli over Rohit Sharma, and Bumrah over Anil Kumble.
As the semi-finals approached, the rivalry became increasingly intense. In the first semi-final, Sachin Tendulkar defeated Sehwag, and in the second semi-final, Kapil Dev eliminated Jasprit Bumrah. Ashwin felt that Kapil Dev's victory in the 1983 World Cup and his status as an outstanding all-rounder outweighed Bumrah's brilliant performance.
The final match presented a confrontation between two of the greatest legends of Indian cricket—Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev. Both changed the course and state of Indian cricket in their respective times. However, when making the final decision for Ashwin, it turned out to be perhaps the easiest choice. He smiled and stated that sometimes personal preferences matter, and he would choose Sachin Tendulkar.