When the team for the India vs. Australia series was unveiled on Monday, Ravichandran Ashwin’s ODI comeback grabbed the spotlight.
When the lineup for the India vs. Australia series was revealed on Monday, Ravichandran Ashwin’s ODI comeback grabbed the spotlight. Axar Patel’s injury during the Asia Cup made it evident that Ravichandran Ashwin was being called up for the India vs. Australia three-ODI series, according to BCCI top selector Ajit Agarkar and India captain Rohit Sharma. The series between India and Australia is not a test for Ravichandran Ashwin, according to Indian cricket team head coach Rahul Dravid.
Ravichandran’s inclusion in the starting lineup for the opening ODI between India and Australia on Friday, though, remains the big unknown. In January 2022, Ravichandran Ashwin finished his last ODI match. Given that the younger Washington Sundar is also included in the team, it is unclear whether he will get a chance to play in the starting XI.
The legendary Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh maintained Washington Sundar at No. 8 on his potential XI going into the game.
Either Washington Sundar or Ravichandran Ashwin will start at No. 8. The question at first is who gets the chance. Washington Sundar will, in my opinion, have the opportunity. because he was also picked up for the Asia Cup championship (when Axar Patel was hurt). He was also denied the chance to participate in the championship, according to Harbhajan Singh.
Following the Champions 2017 Trophy, Ashwin was removed from the India ODI lineup, but he returned in January of last year for the ODI series in South Africa.
Four and a half years later, he finally made a comeback, only to be put on the sidelines once more. The trajectory of Ashwin’s T20 career has been similar; after the World Cup in Australia last year, the 37-year-old was left out of the squad.
September 22 will see the start of the first ODI in Mohali, September 23 in Indore, and September 24 in Rajkot. Then, on September 30 and October 3 in Guwahati and Trivandrum, respectively, India will play two World Cup exhibition matches against England and the Netherlands before facing Australia in their tournament opener on October 8 in Chennai.
Squad for the first two ODIs: KL Rahul (captain), Ravindra Jadeja (vice-captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
Squad for third ODI: Rohit Sharma (captain), Hardik Pandya, (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel (subject to fitness), Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Mohammed Siraj.
