Off-spinner Ashwin is likely to replace left-arm spinner Axar Patel in India’s final 15 for ODI World Cup 2023. It has been learned that Axar Patel who sustained a quadriceps strain during Asia Cup 2023 needs at least three more weeks to recover fully. Today is the deadline for teams to make changes to their World Cup squad as per ICC regulations. And from tomorrow onwards, any further changes will need the consent of the World Cup’s technical committee.
This means Ashwin will now come in place of Axar Patel in India’s World Cup squad. Ashwin will become the second player after Virat Kohli who has also featured in India’s 2011 World Cup winning run. Ashwin’s inclusion shows how destiny can change things in minutes as the veteran spinner was not a part of India’s 15-man squad announced by BCCI later in August.
Ashwin & Sundar both were named in India’s ODI Series against Australia
Initially at the time of announcing India’s World Cup squad, Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar said that Ashwin was in contention for selection but the management has opted for Axar for providing depth in India’s batting order. But as it’s said nothing can go ahead of destiny and it proved true in the case of Ashwin. Due to Axar’s injury, the BCCI drafted Washington Sundar into the ODI World Cup 2023 squad as Axar’s replacement.
Both Ashwin & Sundar were a part of India’s ODI series that India won by 2-1. That was the first time that Ashwin played for India in ODIs in 18 months. He played the first two Australia fixtures scalping 1 for 47 & 3 for 41 before being rested for the third ODI in Rajkot where Washington Replaced him.
Initially, Rahul Dravid, India’s Head Coach revealed in a media press conference on Wednesday that there are no changes in the World Cup squad. However, following the latest update on Axar’s injury it’s expected that Ashwin will replace Axar in the ODI squad while Washington will likely fly to China on Friday to join India’s squad for the Asian Games.
A Glimpse of R Ashwin’s Achievements in ODI
Ashwin will be the only specialist off-spinner in India’s World Cup Squad. He brings along with him experience of 115 ODIs (155 wickets, economy rate 4.94). He made his ODI debut just a year before the World Cup 2011 & it was his prowess with the ball that Ashwin became a part of India’s 2011 World Cup winning squad. During the World Cup, he returned with four wickets in two fixtures. He was also a part of World Cup 2015 in Australia where he took 13 wickets in eight matches. He was not part of India’s 2019 World Cup squad in England.
India Captain, Rohit Sharma had said on the eve of the third ODI against Australia that Ashwin’s experience has propelled them to keep him in the World Cup 2023 plans.
“Ashwin has got the class, he’s got experience of playing the sport and handling the pressure. It’s just that he hasn’t played ODIs [for] a year or so. But you cannot take away the class and the experience that the individual has over the years, and in the last couple of games [against Australia], we saw how well he bowled. He’s got a lot of variations up his sleeves.”
India’s likely World Cup squad
Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (vice-capt), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, R Ashwin
Also read, Naveen-Ul-Haq to retire after ODI World Cup 2023
