If we honestly look at Ashwin's red ball career then he's a champion bowler in subcontinent but average in SENA countries.
-Edited-
In India, Ashwin got 234 wickets with an average of 22.69, in away matches, he got 108 wickets with an average of 31.40, he was successful in both home and away.
This is his Test career records. looks pretty good at first look. But everything is hiding in details.
Ashwin's supporters (I am one of them but only for Subcontinent games) always come up with the same argument that his away average is around 30 with 100+ wickets under his belt. But they still miss out the fact that in away matches' stats Srilanka, Bangladesh, West Indies tours are also included. Subcontinent countries are heaven for every competent spinner, and Windies pitch are spinner friendly as well. He alone picked 60 wickets in 10 matches out of 108 wickets in these countries but his records in SENA countries tells the different story and TBH its not a good one.
Ashwin's Record in SENA countries ( South Aftrica, England, New Zealand, Australia)
- In Australia 4 Test Match Series
- 2011-12 : 9 wickets in 3 match - Best performance 3/81- over all average 62 with strike rate 112
- 2014-15 : 12 wickets in 3 match- best performance 4/105- average 48 strike rate 85
- 2017-18 : 6 wicket in one match then injured - Dropped
- In South Africa 3 Test Match Series
- 2013-14 : 0 wicket in one match, Dropped
- 2017-18 : 7 wickets in 2 match - best performance 4/113- series average 30 with 65 SR. Dropped
- In England 5 Test Match Series
- 2014 : 3 wickets in 2 match - best performance 3/72 - series average 33 with 71 SR
- 2018 : 11 wicket in 4 match - 4/62 - series average 32 average with 76 SR
- In NewZealand 2 Test Match Series
He won many series for India single-handedly in the subcontinent but not a single game in SENA countries, as far as I remember he contributed in only 1-2 games where India did well. And if go deep into more details, then everyone will doubt his capabilities as a spinner. That's the main reason Kuldeep and Chahal are given priorities over him in the last 2 years.
Having said that. With all this, I didn't mean to say that Ashwin is terrible bowler, I repeat that he's a champion bowler in Subcontinent but average bowler in SENA countries. He's still India's No 1 bowler when it comes to Red ball cricket in subcontinent.