Team India named their squad for the highly-anticipated ICC Champions Trophy last week which was highlighted by the notable absence of star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who will miss the marquee event due to a lower back injury. There were other surprises too as fledgling batter Yashasvi Jaiswal was omitted from the 15-man squad bound for UAE.
Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin dropped his two cents on the squad selection stating that there was an abundance of spinners in the unit with Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar all making the 15-man squad while Jaiswal was committed from the contingent.
“What I don’t understand is the number of spinners we are taking to Dubai,” the spinner from Chennai began.
“Five spinners and we have made Yashasvi Jaiswal sit out,” the 38-year-old continued.
“Yeah I understand that we take three or four spinners for a tour. But five spinners in Dubai? I don’t know. I think we are one spinner too many if not two,” he added.
Ashwin went on to list the changes that might be necessary and the shift in dynamics the side will have to adhere to with the current selection of the squad.
“The two left-arm spinners are your best all-rounders alongside Hardik Pandya. So both Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja are going to play. Hardik will also play and Kuldeep will play. If you want Varun Chakravarthy in the team, then you will have to make a pacer sit out and use Hardik as your second pacer. Else you will have to drop a spinner to bring in a third seamer,” he explained.
Ashwin touched upon the exclusion of young sensation Jasiwal, who has been named as one of the three non-travelling substitutes to be called on if and when necessary, and stated that he was glad to be in a position to not break the news to the southpaw.
“I am honestly glad that I am not in a position of explaining things to Yashasvi Jaiswal. If I was the coach or captain then what will I even tell him?” Ashwin continued.
