IND Vs PAK: Will Ravichandran Ashwin Play Against Pakistan? Rohit Sharma Drops A Massive Bomb

Rohit Sharma provided an update on the possibility of Ravichandran Ashwin being included in the playing XI against Pakistan, emphasizing that he had not yet assessed the pitch.

He mentioned that if the situation demanded it, India would consider fielding three spinners, as their players were prepared to step up. Notably, Ashwin had featured in the match against Australia in Chennai but was subsequently left out for the game against Afghanistan in Delhi.

The anticipation is building as India gears up to face Pakistan in a pivotal match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. In a significant development before the game, Indian captain Rohit Sharma confirmed that Shubman Gill is highly likely to be available, stating he was at “99 percent” for the match.

Gill had missed the first two matches for the Indian team due to a bout of dengue. If Gill indeed secures a spot in the playing XI, it is expected that Ishan Kishan will make way for him.

Responding to a query about Gill’s health during the pre-match press conference, Rohit Sharma commented, “99 percent he (Gill) will play. We’ll see tomorrow (Saturday) about that.”

Rohit Sharma Addressed The Possibility Of Playing Three Spinners

Furthermore, Rohit Sharma addressed the possibility of deploying three spinners in Ahmedabad, although he had not inspected the pitch at that point. He underlined that they would contemplate this approach if the circumstances warranted it, emphasizing that the players were ready to step up. R Ashwin, who was part of the playing XI against Australia in Chennai, had been omitted from the subsequent match against Afghanistan. Ashwin had been included in the World Cup squad following the injury to Axar Patel.

“I don’t know. I haven’t had a look at the pitch yet. If the requirement is there, players are ready to step up,” Rohit Sharma remarked.

India’s unblemished record against Pakistan in ODI World Cups, with a commanding 7-0 advantage, was a topic of discussion with Rohit Sharma. However, the captain downplayed the significance of this winning streak, emphasizing that a team needed to perform well on the specific match day to secure a victory.

“I’m not a person who looks into those kinds of stats. You need to play good cricket on that particular day,” Rohit expressed.

India and Pakistan both started the World Cup 2023 campaign with two wins to their names. India had secured back-to-back victories over Australia and Afghanistan, while Pakistan had registered wins against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka.