Former Indian cricketer and one of the finest fielders of all time, Mohammad Kaif is of the opinion that off-spinner and red ball specialist Ravichandran Ashwin can still be a lethal option for India in the shortest format of the game. Ashwin who plied his trade for the Delhi Capitals this season after being traded by the Kings XI Punjab went onto pick up 13 wickets in 15 matches which included some really big names.
However, his consistent performances and his ability to pick up crucial wickets in the powerplays wasn’t enough to impress the national selectors and he was yet again overlooked from the limited-overs squad. He is currently in Australia with the Indian contingent and is preparing for the four-match Test series which will be followed by the T20I and the ODI series.
“Virat, Rohit, Pollard, Gayle, Warner, QDK, Karun, Buttler, Smith, Paddikal, Pooran. Read and re-read @ashwinravi99’s list of big scalps from IPL 13, mostly in power plays. Feel Ash can still be a valuable asset for India in T20Is,” Kaif tweeted.
The offie last played for India in the limited-overs format against West Indies back in 2017. After a relatively below par Champions Trophy, Ashwin alongside his reliable Test partner Ravindra Jadeja were dropped from the squad in favour of two wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal. Jadeja forced his way back into the team when Hardik was injured and went onto cement his place. However, Ashwin couldn’t manage to break his way into the set-up and continues to be out of the limited-overs set up. He has developed quite a few new deliveries up his sleeve to improve his repertoire but to no avail.
Ashwin will be a vital cog for India in the 4 match Test series. He has been a wicket-taker per excellence in the longest format but is yet to prove his mettle in foreign conditions. With Kohli set to miss the last 3 Tests of the series, senior players like Ashwin have to step up to the occasion and deliver the goods for his country. However, it remains to be seen whether he does get a chance in the XI as India is all set to go with a lone spinner in the XI.
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