ICC World Cup 2023 | Ravichandran Ashwin - Records, Profile & SWOT Analysis

image-ln8o4p5aRavichandran Ashwin's ODI numbers (OneCricket Graphic Team)

The Albert Einstein of cricket, Ravichandran Ashwin, joined the Men in Blue squad at the last moment before the ODI World Cup. The 15-member squad, which will work as hard as they can over the next one and a half months to restore the glory they attained at home 12 years ago, will have the services of the 37-year-old spinner, coming in as a replacement for the injured Axar Patel.

so why 'Ash Anna' once more in limited-overs cricket? Why did the Men in Blue decide to bring a veteran who had not even been involved in the action in ODIs for more than 1.5 years? The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)'s decision was, of course, based on a reason.

Ravichandran Ashwin Player Profile

Known for his trickery and new inventions in the game, Ashwin has taken 489 Test wickets, made matches more interesting, and sometimes caused controversies. After becoming well-known in the IPL and being acquired by Chennai Super Kings in 2009, he was one of India's top spinners for a considerable amount of time. However, over time, India used his skill set more in red-ball cricket than in limited-overs cricket.

Between 2018 and 2021, Ashwin sat out all ODI games before being called up to play South Africa in early January 2022. He took only one wicket in two matches there and then found himself sidelined again before making a surprise ODI return in the recently concluded Australia series.

Ravichandran Ashwin Records

Along with Virat Kohli, Ashwin is one of just two cricketers who has played for India in both 2011 and 2023. His overall ODI average for 155 wickets in 115 is 33.20, but more than that, his 4.94 economy rate is more impressive.

When it comes to playing in India, Ashwin's economy rate goes up to 5.07, having picked up 69 wickets in 44 matches, but at a better average of 30.36. More significantly, his numbers in World Cups are very impressive, having snared 17 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 24.88 and an economy rate of 4.36.

ODIs
Matches
Wickets
Average
Eco. Rate
Bow. SR
Overall11515533.204.9440.2
In World Cup101724.884.3634.2


Ravichandran Ashwin SWOT Analysis

Strengths:

  • Wealth of experience: This will be Ashwin's 13th year in 50-over cricket, having made his ODI debut way back in June 2010. It is therefore safe to say that, in terms of bowling, his experience in this competition is almost unmatched.
  • Extra batting option: India, in contrast to other powerhouses, struggles with bowlers who lack the ability to bat for longer stretches. Thus, as soon as No. 7 departs, their tail opens, and the issue then becomes apparent. The Men in Blue have solved this crucial problem by bringing in Ashwin, who last had the bat in hand during an ODI against South Africa and made an unbeaten 25 off of 24 balls, and often produces stability if collapses happen.
  • The left-handers' fear factor: Global praise for Ashwin's success against left-handers is widespread. He consistently outsmarts left-handed batters in some way, and usually succeeds in dismissing them. In contrast to India, all of the top teams in the World Cup have two or more dependable left-handed batters in their batting unit, and Ashwin might be the one who can serve as a trump card for the Men in Blue.

Weaknesses:

  • ODI failures against the bests: Ashwin’s ODI numbers against the big boys are depressing, particularly against South Africa, against whom he averages 62.14 while scalping only seven wickets in nine outings. Even against Australia, his numbers are not really great, having averaged 43.65 while maintaining an economy rate of 5.70.
  • Recent lack of match time: Ashwin has not played a significant number of ODIs for some time. Therefore, Ashwin may find it difficult to get continuous success in a major event like the World Cup.

Opportunities:

  • To make Rohit & Dravid proud: Let us not forget the fact that Ashwin has been recalled lately by the Indian think tank, led by Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma. The questions will surely come if the veteran fails to leave his mark, considering there were many who were in the scheme of things in the last couple of years. However, if he succeeds, particularly in spin-friendly conditions, you may already know who will get the most credit.

Threat:

  • Age-factor: Ashwin is 37. At this age, there are many players who struggle to keep themselves fit in order to extend their career. Playing an ODI match is not a joke, and it would be interesting to see whether Ashwin can manage to stay fit in order to play each and every fixture in the competition.

Ravichandran Ashwin Player Ratings

  • Wicket-taking abilities - 7/10
  • Variations - 9/10
  • Economy - 8.5/10
  • Accuracy - 9/10
  • Experience - 10/10
  • Overall - 8.7/10