Ravichandran Ashwin has been one of the most loved spinners in the Indian cricket team. Apart from his stunning tricks with the ball, the spinner is known for his presence of mind on the field, which helped Team India win several matches. While the player continues to do great in the Test format of the game, he is not getting many chances in the T20 and ODI formats of cricket. Former Indian star Yuvraj Singh shared some strong views on Ravichandran Ashwin and said the spinner doesn’t deserve a place in white-ball format.
“Ashwin is a great bowler but I don’t think he deserves a place in ODIs and T20s. He is very good with the ball, but what does he bring with the bat? Or as a fielder? In the Test team, yes, he should be there. But in white-ball cricket, I don’t think he deserves a place,” Yuvraj Singh told Times of India.
Things started going downhill for Ravichandran Ashwin in 2017 when younger spinners like Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav replaced him in the Indian squad. Despite 5 centuries in Test cricket, Ravichandran Ashwin failed to display consistency with his bat, and like all other teams, India is also preferring a deep batting order in the playing XI.
‘Ashwin for World Cup’ theory
Since 2011, Ravichandran Ashwin has remained a crucial part of the Indian squad before the younger spinner started competing for his position. Ashwin being smart tried to offer more diversity and performed with the bat, but eventually, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal replaced him in several tournaments.
But, the Indian skippers- Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma trusted the player during crucial tournaments like World Cup. Ravichandran Ashwin was preferred over Yuzvendra Chahal during the 2021 World Cup in UAE and the spinner participated in games against Afghanistan, Scotland, and Namibia.
After a good performance in the World Cup, Ravichandran Ashwin saw some revival in his white-ball career as he played T20 and ODI cricket for India from November 2021 to 2022. Notably, he featured in six games at the World Cup in Australia, showcasing an unexpected but prolonged opportunity in the T20 format.
In the ODI World Cup 2023 also, Ravichandran Ashwin made a last-minute entry in the Indian squad after Axar Patel got injured. Although he played only one game during the World Cup, his presence was visible in the squad as skipper Rohit Sharma and other spinners asked for his guidance.
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Published: 14 Jan 2024, 02:57 PM IST