India Cricket Team made a last-minute change to their 2023 Cricket World Cup squad, bringing back off-spinner R Ashwin into the 15-man team in place of the injured Axar Patel. Ashwin joined the team in Guwahati on Thursday, September 29, just before India’s first warm-up match against defending champions England on September 30.
Despite playing only 4 ODIs since the beginning of 2018, the senior off-spinner received the support of the team management. He was included in the squad for the recently-concluded 3-match ODI series against Australia, which served as the team’s final preparation event before the World Cup. This marks Ashwin’s third appearance in a 50-over World Cup. He and Virat Kohli are the sole players from the 2011 World Cup-winning squad set to participate in the upcoming edition of the quadrennial event. Initially, India’s squad lacked an off-spinner, opting for three left-arm pacers in Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
Ashwin showcased his prowess in the two chances he received, claiming 4 wickets in the initial 2 ODIs held in Mohali and Indore. His cunning use of carrom balls bewildered the Australian batters, playing a significant role in India’s victory. Although rested for the 3rd ODI against Australia on September 27, it became evident that India had him in their plans when he was seen traveling with the team to Guwahati, especially in the absence of Axar Patel. Speaking to the press after the 3rd ODI in Rajkot on Wednesday, head coach Rahul Dravid neither confirmed nor denied Ashwin replacing Axar but hinted at such a possibility. He expressed satisfaction with Ashwin’s performance in the ODI series, emphasizing his return to ODI cricket after an 18-month hiatus. Ashwin’s last ODI was against South Africa in January 2022, prior to the series against Australia.
Ashwin’s late inclusion occurred due to Axar Patel’s quadriceps strain sustained during an Asia Cup match against Bangladesh in September. Axar was sidelined for India’s 10-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final. While Washington Sundar was initially considered to replace Axar, Ashwin’s strong performances against Australia and his experience ultimately worked in his favor.
India Cricket Team (updated)
Rohit Sharma (captain), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav.
Yuvraj Singh not happy with R Ashwin selection
While some praised the decision as highly strategic, other experts criticized Ashwin’s inclusion due to his limited ODI appearances in 2023. Yuvraj Singh voiced his disagreement, suggesting that Ashwin should not have been chosen, advocating for Washington Sundar instead. In a recent chat, he was quoted as saying, “With Axar not there, we have to wait and see who will bat at No. 7. I was thinking if Washington Sundar would have played in place of Axar then India would have had another left-hander. But unfortunately, he did not get picked, and so did Yuzvendra Chahal. But otherwise, I feel the combination is fine,”
Yuvraj believes that Sundar possesses greater batting potential than Ashwin. Additionally, like Axar, Sundar is a left-handed batter, a valuable asset for India as it neutralizes the off-spin threat at the top. Ashwin primarily contributes as a bowling all-rounder, while Sundar excels as a batting all-rounder. Sundar’s effectiveness in the power play, with an economy rate under six runs per over, further strengthens his case. However, India opted for Ashwin due to his extensive experience and his proficiency as a significant threat against left-handed batsmen.
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