The quote that fuelled Ashwin: Stars react to India T20WC squad

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Ravichandran Ashwin has not played a T20I for India since 2017. After being named in their squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, he revealed the quote that kept him believing through those four years.

A mainstay across all three formats up until 2017, Ashwin has not been turned to for a limited-overs match since India's tour of the Caribbean in mid-2017, despite being the country's top wicket-taker in Men's T20 World Cup history (20 at 16.70).

While he has been a regular in India's Test XI in that time, following his selection in the T20 World Cup squad, the off-spinner revealed on Twitter he had regularly looked to one quote for inspiration during his absence from the T20I side.

"Every tunnel has light at the end of it, but only those in the tunnel who believe in the light will live to see it," the quote read.

2017: I wrote this quote down a million times in my diary before putting this up on the wall! Quotes that we read and admire have more power when we internalise them and apply in life.

Happiness and gratitude are the only 2 words that define me now.🙏 #t20worldcup2021 pic.twitter.com/O0L3y6OBLl
— Mask up and take your vaccine🙏🙏🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) September 8, 2021

Video cwc19 11 Jun 17 00:18

WICKET: Amla falls to Ashwin for 35

Ashwin was not the only returning star to India's T20 World Cup set-up, with the BCCI surprising plenty with the news that MS Dhoni would be involved as a mentor. It was a move praised by compatriots Dinesh Karthik and Suresh Raina.

That is one HELL of a team . Well done selectors .

M S DHONI - that's a master stroke too 😉💞🙂

Congrats to everyone but more so to @ashwinravi99 and @chakaravarthy29 from my neck of the woods. Well done boys 👍❤️ https://t.co/ovJlGBH95g
— DK (@DineshKarthik) September 8, 2021

All the very best to #TeamIndia on the upcoming T20 World Cup, the selected squad looks very balanced. Good to have @ashwinravi99 back in the team, and a fabulous decision by @bcci to have the man himself @msdhoni bhai as the mentor.
— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) September 8, 2021

Ashwin was one of five spinners picked in India's squad alongside newcomers Varun Chakravarthy and Rahul Chahar, and all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.

While there was good news for Ashwin, there were a number of big omissions, with Shikhar Dhawan, and spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav all missing out, while, Sharduk Thakur, Deepak Chahar and Shreyas Iyer had to settle for reserve spots.

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh was particularly surprised to see Dhawan and Chahal miss out, while Irfan Pathan sympathised for those left on the reserves list.

Congratulations everyone who got selected in team India for T20 World Cup.feel bad for @SDhawan25 and @yuzi_chahal they r consistent in this shorter format.Yuzi took 21 wickets in last IPL in dubai/Abudhabi/Sarjan He is all time highest wicket taker for INDIA in T20 #T20WorldCup
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) September 8, 2021

Good to see Ash back, his experience is invaluable. I would have also opted for two wrist spinners keeping the conditions in mind. All the best to the guys who got selected for the Indian Team for the T20 World Cup. I do feel for Shardul,Shreyas and Deepak,but it is what it is.
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) September 8, 2021

For Mohammad Kaif, the quality of the players left out of the squad was an indication of just how strong India's squad is.

No Chahal, Dhawan, Kuldeep, Iyer, shardul, in India’s squad of 15 is a proof of India's strong bench strength. These players can easily walk into any other international team. Ashwin back and Dhoni as mentor, can't wait for the World T20 to start.
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) September 8, 2021