Yuvraj Singh has delivered a decisive judgment on Ravichandran Ashwin’s limited-overs career, stating that the 37-year-old spinner is not deserving of a spot in India’s ODI and T20I squads. Ashwin’s journey in white-ball cricket has been turbulent, losing his position to Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal in 2017 and making sporadic appearances in various tournaments since then. Despite featuring in the 2023 World Cup as a replacement for the injured Axar Patel, Ashwin played just one match, claiming 1/34 against Australia in Chennai.
Yuvraj highlights the team’s emphasis on including bowlers with batting capabilities in the lower order, and despite Ravichandran Ashwin’s five Test centuries, the veteran spinner, according to Yuvraj, lacks the credentials for ODI and T20I inclusion due to concerns about his batting and fielding contributions. Yuvraj, a two-time World Cup winner, expressed his views to the Times of India, acknowledging Ashwin’s prowess as a bowler but questioning his suitability for white-ball cricket.
Ashwin’s fortunes in ODIs and T20Is have been unpredictable. Once an integral part of the white-ball setup between 2011 and early 2017, Ravichandran Ashwin faced challenges when ‘Kul-Cha’ (Kuldeep and Chahal) rose to prominence under Virat Kohli’s captaincy. Despite occasional comebacks, he struggled to secure a consistent spot. Notably, in the 2021 T20 World Cup, Ashwin returned to the squad, but his involvement was sporadic. Similarly, his ODI journey witnessed a recall in 2022, leading up to the World Cup, where he played a pivotal role. However, his appearances in both formats have been marked by fluctuations, with Ashwin not featuring in T20Is for India since 2022.
The ‘Ashwin for World Cup’ theory gains prominence as Ravichandran Ashwin, a consistent fixture in the Indian cricket squad since 2011, faced tough competition from emerging spinners. Despite his attempts to diversify his skills, players like Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal often edged him out in various tournaments.
However, the trust of Indian captains, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, in Ashwin remained steadfast during crucial events like the World Cup. In the 2021 World Cup in UAE, Ravichandran Ashwin was preferred over Chahal, featuring prominently in matches against Afghanistan, Scotland, and Namibia. His commendable performance in the tournament marked a resurgence in his white-ball career.
Post the World Cup success, Ashwin continued to contribute to T20 and ODI formats for India from November 2021 to 2022, surprising many with his sustained opportunity in T20 cricket during the series in Australia.
In the ODI World Cup 2023, Ashwin’s last-minute inclusion due to Axar Patel’s injury showcased the continued relevance of the ‘Ashwin for World Cup’ narrative. Although he played only one game, Ashwin’s presence in the squad was felt as skipper Rohit Sharma and fellow spinners sought his guidance, highlighting his valuable role beyond the playing XI.
