The Reason Behind India's Ravichandran Ashwin Recall Is Rational, Not Random
Ashwin has been picked in India's squad for the first two ODIs vs Australia (X.com)
It is no secret that Ravichandran Ashwin has been a prominent name when discussing the Indian team over the past decade or so, whether it is controversial or not. Once again, the veteran spinner has taken center stage after returning to ODI cricket after roughly one and a half years.
It is always exciting to see a player make a comeback. However, if a shocking choice is made right before any showpiece event, it becomes the topic of conversation.
This is exactly what happens with Ashwin as the ODI World Cup approaches, and all of a sudden he is ready to roll his arms in the upcoming Australia series at home.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has the tendency to make surprising moves before mega events. Due to that, the board frequently came under fire from people all over the world.
To be honest, their criticism was not unjustified. After all, the Men in Blue have not lifted an ICC trophy since 2013 despite having the largest player pool.
Are we all heading the same way? Will Ashwin, 37 now, join the World Cup squad as a wild card entry at the last minute? And if it happens, what consequences will follow?
So let us put it this way. The BCCI made a wise move by bringing Ashwin back into the ODIs once again. Of course, it is late, but as the saying goes, "Better late than never."
Ashwin vs Left-handers - A fairytale like no other
The majority of heavyweight cricket teams, unlike India, currently have too many left-handers in their batting unit. Australia have David Warner, Alex Carey, and Travis Head (if fit), England have Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, and Moeen in their mix, and New Zealand have Devon Conway, Tom Latham, and Mitchell Santner.
Even Pakistan have a sizable number of players in the running, including Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq, though they have not yet decided on their team. Do we really need to go into detail about Ashwin's distinguished record against left-handers?
India's No. 8 Dilemma
Given that the ODI World Cup will be played at ten different venues in India, choosing the right balance for the starting XI will be important. In addition to that, Indian tracks are traditionally more favorable to spinners than pacers, so getting wizards who can also bat is equally crucial.
Let us not obfuscate the truth at this point. India are the only team among the World Cup title contenders without an effective batsman at No. 8. Yes, they do have Shardul Thakur, but after accumulating 59 runs over six appearances, his ODI average has dropped to 9.83 this year.
Despite the fact that Shardul has been one of India’s highest wicket-takers in the ODIs for some time, it will be very risky to have him at No. 8, who is not in the greatest of touches. Then, the tail will be very long, and India will probably be in trouble quite frequently.
India's frontline pace bowling option is sorted with Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, as well as a fully-fit Hardik Pandya. Thus, by bringing Ashwin in, they can resolve the problems they are currently experiencing.
"With the kind of experience Ashwin has, he has played close to 100 Tests and 115 ODIs. Yes, it is all in the past, but he has been consistently playing Test cricket. With guys like Ashwin, game-time and time on the ground are not so much of a concern. This is why we thought if he was an option for us, we needed to get him in. With the kind of experience he has, for guys like him, it's all in the head more than the body. I thought getting him it could give us a chance to understand where he is at, how his body is, and stuff like that,” said Rohit Sharma on Ashwin’s recall.
One call, two problems solved. This is how you play shrewdly. Ashwin's inclusion, however, entirely depends on how well he performs in the upcoming two ODIs against Australia.
In light of the fact that Axar Patel is currently hurt, if Ashwin shines, the door will likely be opened for him. And who knows, if Rohit Sharma is able to end the drought, he might end up being India's main man in another two months.
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