IPL 2018: Will Try to Create an Environment Where Everyone Can Express Themselves - R Ashwin

The appointment of R Ashwin as a captain of Kings XI Punjab came as a big surprise.

He defeated likes of Yuvraj Singh and Aaron Finch to take up the job and the former CSK and Rising Pune Supergiant player is all set to make his captaincy debut in IPL 2018.

Since one hardly see any bowler performing the job of captain in any format and league, the biggest challenge for Ashwin will be to prove himself.

Also, he will have the challenge to select best XI out of stars who are present in Kings XI Punjab.

Ashwin has said he doesn’t have any set plan to lead the team. He wants to develop an environment where every player can express himself,

“There is no set plan to say that I will go like this. I have seen a lot of captains in my career and will try to take positives from them and try to upstage them. I will try to provide an environment where they can express themselves,” he said on Star Sports.

The newly appointed captain is himself going into the tournament with tweaked bowling action, as he is expected to bowl leg spin in the IPL.

He has even tried it at international level but as a surprise during matches. This will be the first time when he will bowl leg-spinners on a permanent basis,

“I have done changes over the years, and now I am bowling leg -spin for the last couple of years. The whole idea has come good, and it came good in Vijay Hazare. I am looking forward to taking it to the IPL as well,” he added.

Ashwin has oodles of responsibilities on his shoulders – from his own form to oversee the job of the team – and looking at this fact, Kings XI Punjab might face trouble at the start.

Last year, the punt to appoint Glenn Maxwell as the captain did not reap KXIP benefits and the side failed to make it to the second stage of the tournament.

Kings XI Punjab have Virender Sehwag as mentor and Head of cricket operations. The franchise recently appointed Venkatesh Prasad as Bowling Coach and Brad Hodge as Head Coach. Mithun Manhas and Nishant Bordoloi are the other members of team’s backroom staff.

Squad: Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Yuvraj Singh, Karun Nair, KL Rahul, Chris Gayle, David Miller, Aaron Finch, Marcus Stoinis, Mayank Agarwal, Ankit Rajpoot, Manoj Tiwary, Mohit Sharma, Mujeeb Zadran, Barinder Sran, Andrew Tye, Akshdeep Nath, Dwarshuis, Pardeep Sahu, Mayank Dagar, Manzoor Dar.

Here is the news feed –

Sreenath Arvind retires from domestic cricket

Steve Waugh praises Virat Kohli for his character