Ravichandran Ashwin joins Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and MS Dhoni among the cricketers who have received the invitation for the consecration of the Ram Mandir.
With the consecration on January 22, Ashwin and Kohli may miss out on the IND vs ENG pre-series camp in Hyderabad.
After the conclusion of the IND vs AFG series, head coach Rahul Dravid informed that the India cricket team will undergo a four-day practice session to prepare for the upcoming 5-match test series in Hyderabad.
With the first IND vs ENG Test match scheduled to be played on January 25th, the Indian management had decided to start the pre-series on January 20.
This means that both Ashwin and Kohli can miss out on crucial practice before they take on Ben Stokes and Co.
Will Ashwin miss the IND vs ENG practice for the Ram Mandir consecration?
The ace off-spinner had a forgetful last test in South Africa, scoring just 8 runs and picking just one wicket. With no game time under his belt and a crucial challenge in Bazball ahead of him, the all-rounder may want to attend the practice to take on England.
Apart from this, Ashwin will also have the 500-wicket mark on his mind. Currently, he needs just 10 wickets to become the 2nd Indian and 9th overall bowler to take 500 or more Test wickets. With this major milestone on his mind, Ashwin may prioritize going to Hyderabad rather than traveling to Ayodhya.