NEW DELHI – Renowned off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been included in India’s Cricket World Cup squad, replacing left-arm spinner Axar Patel. Patel’s unavailability due to a lingering thigh injury prompted this change.
Ashwin, at 37 years old, made a significant impact against Australia earlier this month. He secured four crucial wickets across two matches, marking his return to the One Day International (ODI) team after an absence of over 18 months.
In India’s 15-man squad for the World Cup, Ashwin is the lone specialist off-spinner. He joins star batsman Virat Kohli as one of the only two players who were part of India’s triumphant 2011 World Cup campaign.
Captain Rohit Sharma expressed clarity about the squad’s objectives, emphasizing that the team knows its direction. He underlined the importance of each player contributing to the team’s success, highlighting the collaborative nature of cricket.
Ashwin had an impressive World Cup campaign in 2015, amassing 13 wickets in eight matches as India reached the semi-finals in Australia. However, he was not selected for the 2019 World Cup in England.
Axar Patel, the spin-bowling all-rounder, sustained a left quadriceps strain during the recent Asia Cup, which led to his absence from the final.
India, as the host nation, will commence their World Cup journey against the five-time champions, Australia, in Chennai on October 8.
Squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Hardik Pandya, 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.
By AFP
