‘Nathan Lyon is lucky’: Ravichandran Ashwin reveals shocking reason behind why Indian cricketers can’t show emotions after being dropped

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The candid expression of frustration by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon after being dropped for the second Ashes Test has sparked a deep cultural discussion, led by his counterpart, former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Lyon’s public admission of feeling “absolutely filthy” after being left out of the XI highlighted a freedom of expression rarely seen among Indian cricketers, prompting Ashwin to offer a thought-provoking analysis.

Speaking to Vimal on his Youtube channel, Ashwin began his analysis by pointedly declaring that Lyon was “lucky” to be operating within a cricketing culture that permitted such raw emotional expression without the threat of immediate career backlash. Lyon’s widely reported interview, in which he spoke of his “seething anger” and feeling “filthy” after missing a home Test for the first time since 2012, demonstrated a platform that Ashwin believes is unavailable to Indian stars.

Ashwin confirmed the universality of such disappointment, stating: “If anyone is dropped from the team, the emotions would be similar to what Lyon expressed in front of the world. He got the platform to express his views, and he did just that. The Australian team wouldn’t feel bad, and he would play the Adelaide Test. I am just happy for him.”

The veteran Indian spinner explained that while every player harbors identical feelings of hurt and frustration upon being omitted, the calculation for an Indian cricketer speaking out is inherently different due to the nature of the domestic environment, adding: “People have emotions, and they will do just that. However, I cannot express my emotions, because if I do, I will lose out, and only my harm will be caused. So why will I do that? However, I really respect Nathan Lyon; he let his emotions out. Good on him.” This perspective is showcased by Ashwin’s own mid-series retirement from Tests last year, which came after he was dropped for the third match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Brisbane, an event his father later alleged was caused by “humiliation.”

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Ashwin went further to explain the structural reasons behind the restraint exercised by Indian cricketers, terming the negative professional consequence of expressing disappointment as “collateral damage.” He emphasized that the issue is not a formal lack of permission, but the heavy, unstated price paid in terms of reputation and future opportunities when a player chooses honesty over humility. Ashwin explained: “We, as Indian cricketers, are allowed to express our opinion. No one is stopping us. But what is collateral damage? Your expression and emotion are not given as much respect because you will be stamped as a person of a certain character for doing that. I hope this will change with the passage of time, and it should.”

To illustrate this cultural disparity in how self-assertion is viewed, Ashwin used a striking analogy comparing global cricket icon Chris Gayle, who confidently labeled himself the “Universe Boss” and was embraced for it, with how an Indian star would be judged for a similar action. “Now imagine, tomorrow, Abhishek Sharma comes to the press conference wearing a big chain and exclaims to the world, ‘I am the Universe Boss’. Will we accept him? No. Because in our mind, there is a conditioning that we need to credit someone else, no matter how hard we have worked. I hope that really changes,” Ashwin concluded, highlighting the deep-seated cultural expectations of modesty that restrict Indian players’ freedom.

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Ravichandran Ashwin ❤️‍🩹

— Mahi Patel (@Maahii_Patel) December 9, 2025

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