It is the inclusion of Ashwin that will be discussed. When the World Cup squad was announced, it seemed like it was put together out of fear of failure rather than a confident desire to succeed with the best resources at their disposal. They chose their pitches carefully, selecting potential slow players against some of the stronger teams, but then changed course, worried about a lack of balance. They started looking for bowlers who can play with the bat and as a result Yuzvendra Chahal departed and Ashwin was also sidelined. This was because if conditions are conducive to a turnaround, Ashwin the batsman is more than capable of scoring points as his game against spin is better than many players in the lower half.
It remains to be seen whether Ashwin, one of the greatest match-winners for India in Test history but considered an extra in ODIs and T20Is, will make it to the home World Cup at the eleventh hour. At the very least, it is telling that the team management isand is open to re-selection if necessary.
Another off-spinner Washington Sundar has also been included in the squad and even played in Sunday’s Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka without getting a bat or bowling, but is unlikely to overtake Ashwin in the standings if the need arises.
Axar suffered a hamstring injury during the Asia Cup match against Bangladesh in Colombo and while selectors and team management are hopeful he will recover in time, Ashwin was seen as a viable option in case a spot becomes available.
Rohit was confident that Ashwin’s experience would ensure that he would not be lacking in the white-ball game if appointed to the team.
Ashwin is constantly playing in Tests, so playing time is not an issue. If he is really needed for the World Cup, this is a good option to bring him in. He has played relatively recently as well, even if it was the premiership-Tamilnadu League. It’s all about the head at this stage. than the body, the Indian captain said at a virtual press conference to announce the squad.
Ahead of the big tournament, it was advisable to let some players who have been performing regularly in recent times play. After three ODIs against the Australians, India will play two warm-up games before the start of the World Cup.
We have played quite a lot of cricket in the Asia Cup and sometimes you need to give players a mental break, said Ajit Agarkar, chairman of the selection committee. ‘It gives us a chance to look at other players. We have selected a strong squad and made sure everyone plays enough cricket before the World Cup.
Perfect for the conditions
As for Ashwin, his possible inclusion in the squad could play in India’s favor given some of the grounds the hosts will play on during the World Cup. India will start their campaign against Australy at Ashwin’s home ground in Chennai, while Lucknow (where they face England), Kolkata (where they play South Africa) and Delhi are considered spinners, a description that applies to most of the major grounds in the country.
In this case, Ashwin’s experience, guile and intelligence may prove more useful than Axar’s, who has not been very good at white-ball cricket in recent times. Besides, Ashwin can also be relied upon if he cannot be called a complete all-rounder in ODIs.
India’s rout of Sri Lanka on Sunday – defeating them by 50 and taking them to victory in 37 balls with all 10 wickets in hand – has raised expectations ahead of the World Cup, but Rohit stressed the need to maintain composure and avoid injuries.
We can’t play the same line-up all the time. As we see, there have been a lot of injuries in many teams. There will be a lot of traveling during the World Cup. It is important to have a strong bench, with players who are fit, who are not injured, and who are able to play in the World Cup.who are ready to play.
It is important to remain balanced and neutral, regardless of the results. Our recent results have given us a lot of confidence and our task is to ensure a good atmosphere in the team so that the players are in good condition. We had a good performance but now, ahead of another major tournament, that is not the main thing for us.
Team composition for the first two ODIs: K.L. Rahul (captain), Ravindra Jadeja (vice-captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, R. Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
Team composition for the third ODI: Rohit Sharma (captain), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, K.L. Rahul (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel (subject to eligibility).The following members of the Board of Governors have been appointed as members of the Board of Governors: Mr. Washington Sundar, Mr. Kuldeep Y. Adav, Mr. R. Ashwin, Mr. Jaspreet Bumrah, Mr. Mohd. Shami, Mohammed Siraj.