Ravichandran Ashwin’s Inclusion In The World Cup Squad Is A Boon For India, Feels Sandeep Patil.

After Axar Patel was unable to get his fitness back after suffering a left quadriceps injury in the Asia Cup 2023, Ravichandran Ashwin replaced him in the Indian squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

Ravichandran Ashwin showed a brilliant performance against Australia in the recently concluded ODI series, where he took four wickets in two matches. Ravichandran Ashwin was back in the ODI squad after a gap of almost 20 months and still, he delivered during the IND Vs AUS ODI series.

Ravichandran Ashwin’s inclusion was backed by many former cricket players and experts as he is regarded as one of the best bowlers on Indian soil. Ashwin has played 44 ODIs on Indian soil and has taken 69 wickets with an average of 30.36.

This amounts to 44% of his total wickets in his ODI career. Before the IND Vs AUS ODI series, Ashwin played an ODI in India way back in 2017 against England at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Coming back to play limited-overs cricket in India after six and a half years, he surely performed well to get a place in the World Cup squad.

Former India cricketer and a member of the 1983 World Cup winning squad, Sandeep Patil talked about how Ravichandran Ashwin’s inclusion in the squad is a boon for the team. According to Patil, Ashwin is the best off-spinner in world cricket. Surely, Ashwin has proved himself as one of the greatest off-spinners the game has seen but it will be interesting to see his performance in the World Cup.

Ravichandran Ashwin’s Inclusion Is A Boon, Says Sandeep Patil

“Ashwin’s inclusion wasn’t a surprise at all. Not at all. He’s the best off-spinner in world cricket today and I’m happy to see he’s in. I also feel sorry for Axar, who got injured. But then, you know, it was a blessing in disguise (for India),” said Sandeep Patil about Ashwin’s inclusion in the World Cup 2023.

India will play their first match against Australia in the World Cup on 8th October in Chennai. Ravichandran Ashwin, who recently performed very well against Australia might see himself playing the game given that Australia has struggled against him, especially the likes of David Warner and Alex Carey. Ashwin is a nightmare for left-handed batters and Rohit Sharma should be on point to use him as an ‘ace of spades’.