Ravichandran Ashwin is set for Cricket World Cup 2023 return. India Cricket Team has landed in Lucknow after a two-day break with a perfect record in five games. Hardik Pandya has been ruled out for a couple of more ODI World Cup matches. And as the Lucknow pitch is likely to favour spinners, India may go for Ravichandran Ashwin in place of Mohammed Shami or Mohammed Siraj.
However, Rohit Sharma will have a crucial choice to make over whom to bench for Sunday’s Cricket World Cup match between India and England.
In India’s match against New Zealand, Suryakumar Yadav and Mohammed Shami were selected in place of Hardik Pandya. Shami has made it impossible for the team management to bench him with a fifer against the Kiwis, even though SKY failed miserably courtesy of Virat Kohli.
Two situations exist at this moment:
Scenario 1: Spinners receive no particular aid
SuryaKumar Yadav and Mohammed Shami will both continue to hold their positions if Hardik Pandya remains unfit.
Scenario 2: Slow Ekana pitch
Mohammed Siraj or Mohammed Shami is replaced by Ravichandran Ashwin, and SuryaKumar Yadav keeps his spot.
Ravichandran Ashwin fate hanging via pitch
Jasprit Bumrah is a given, but whether India selects three spinners or three seamers will depend on the pitch. In case of a little sluggish pitch, India will bring back Ravichandran Ashwin. India’s onslaught will be Siraj-Shami-Bumrah if nothing else.
But who leaves if Ravichandran Ashwin enters? Thus far, the choice was easy. If the surface is spin-friendly, Ashwin will take Shardul Thakur’s spot. However, Mohammed Shami’s fifer has suddenly made it more difficult.
In the event that India needs three spinners, Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid would need to decide who to bench.
The top bowler in the world for one-day internationals is Mohammed Siraj, and against New Zealand, Mohammad Shami claimed five wickets. Making this selection won’t be simple. However, one of the two will be discarded. India will be a bowling-heavy team if not.
Ravichandran Ashwin hasn’t shown to be a reliable white-ball batsman while being a fantastic red-ball batsman. And that India will only be able to bat up to No. 6 in order to play all three seamers.
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