Ravichandran Ashwin’s dedication is second to none, and even at the age of 37 there is no stopping the off-spinner from improving on his game. With the veteran spinner recalled to the ODI squad for the Australia series after 20 months, the off-spinner is preparing by playing a local game in Chennai on Tuesday.
To note, the 37-year-old was at NCA on Monday, but since he is recalled in the side, Ashwin is going to play 50-format to test his fitness.
The off-spinner will turn out in the ongoing VAP Trophy’s one-day game. Ashwin will play for the Solution MRPA side at the SSN College Ground against Young Stars. Ashwin has also played in several three-day games before this clash.
A TNCA official stated, “He wants to spend some time on the ground, and a 50-over game will provide him with that opportunity. He recently visited the NCA for routine maintenance work on his body and to hone his skills under the guidance of spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule. He’s determined to prepare himself comprehensively for any challenges,” as reported by CricBuzz.
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Ashwin: Ashwin in contention for World Cup, replaces Axar Patel in IND vs AUS series
It’s been 605 days since Ashwin last played ODI against South Africa in January 2022. However, team India skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid are confident that the off-spinner will do a fine job in the Australia series and the World Cup if he is selected in the 15-member squad.
For now, Ashwin has replaced Axar Patel in the squad for the first two ODIs against Australia. With Axar ruled out of the first two games due to a left quadriceps injury, Ashwin now has a golden chance to cement his place in the team. Also, with no Kuldeep Yadav for the first two ODIs, Ashwin is almost certain to play the first two ODIs.
IND Squad for AUS Series
Team India’s Squad for first two ODIs:
KL Rahul (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Tilak Varma, Prasidh Krishna, R Ashwin, and Washington Sundar
Team India’s Squad for final ODI:
Rohit Sharma (C), Hardik Pandya, (Vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel*, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj
