'If he hadn't played ...': Ashwin reveals 'real' BGT game-changer

NEW DELHI: Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has pointed to

Scott Boland

's inclusion as a decisive factor in India's 3-1 defeat to Australia in the recently concluded

Border-Gavaskar Trophy

. The fiercely contested five-match series saw Australia reclaim the trophy after a decade, bouncing back from a 0-1 deficit following India's opening win in Perth.
Discussing the series on his YouTube channel Ash ki Baat, Ashwin praised its competitiveness and highlighted the intense battle that stretched until the last session of the final Test in Sydney.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
"The series was on the line till the last session in Sydney. What a great series it was. As pure cricket, it was a class series, outstanding. Australia won the series after a tough fight till the last day," Ashwin said.

Ashwin also reflected on a humorous post-series comment by Australian batter Usman Khawaja. "Usman Khawaja said after the series, 'I was Bumrah'ed.' That shows how intense the series was."

Revealing what he believed to be the turning point, Ashwin credited Scott Boland's unexpected inclusion due to Josh Hazlewood's injury as a stroke of fortune for the hosts.
"All said that Pat Cummins had a great series, but he struggled against left-handers. Australia was lucky that Scott Boland came into the team. If Boland hadn't played, India would have won the series," Ashwin asserted.
He elaborated on Boland's impact, particularly against India's left-handers. "No offence to Josh Hazlewood; he's a fantastic bowler. But if they had continued with the same attack, we would have won. Boland's round-the-wicket deliveries to our left-handers were a major factor," he said.
Ashwin also addressed his surprise retirement announcement after the third Test in Brisbane, which marked the end of his illustrious international career. Despite the absence of a farewell game, Ashwin expressed no regrets. "A farewell game wasn't something I desired or deemed necessary. I stepped away because I felt my time was up," he explained.