Former BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has dismissed ideas that Ravichandran Ashwin will be in India’s World Cup squad. Out of the ODI setup since South Africa tour in 2021-22, there were hopes that Ashwin could return for one last time in ODIs for World Cup 2023 in India. However, Ganguly does not see that happening. He does not believe Ashwin will also make the squad for Asia Cup 2023.
“He is a great bowler, a champion bowler. He has almost 500 Test wickets, won the World Cup. But he is not in World Cup plans from what I can see,” Sourav Ganguly, the former India captain said at an event in Kolkata on Friday.
Why no Ashwin in World Cup 2023?
With all focus on wrist-spinners and left-arm spinners, off-spinners have been a rare breed in white-ball cricket. Furthermore, someone like Tilak Varma and Washington Sundar can add more value as batters who can get wickets too. Hence, selectors will be keen on backing left-handers Varma and Sundar instead of Ashwin. That is why Ashwin is missing ODIs. And Sourav Ganguly is right in his assessment even though he has been a vocal backer of off-spinners.
“It’s wrong to say Ashwin is out of World Cup already. It’s the selectors’ call. We all know how important Ashwin can be on Indian pitches. Ajit is meeting Rahul and Rohit during the Test match and will discuss the squads for Asia Cup and WC,” a BCCI official told InsideSport earlier this month.
Ravichandran Ashwin in 50-over cricket
| Format | Mat | Wkts | Best | Avg | Econ | 4w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 113 | 151 | 4/25 | 33.49 | 4.94 | 1 |
| List A | 173 | 231 | 4/25 | 31.35 | 4.64 | 1 |
However, even Ravichandran Ashwin does not see himself in the World Cup 2023 squad.
“I don’t think like that, because the selection of the team is not my job. I had decided long back that I would not think about stuff that is not in my hand. I am honestly in a very good space in terms of life and my cricket and I try to keep negativity away from my thought process,” Ravichandran Ashwin told TOI in an interview.
Although Ashwin has not retired from ODIs, he has been vocal against it. In fact, since 2019 World Cup, Ashwin has only played two 50-over games. And in both, he wasn’t very successful, bagging just a wicket with an economy rate of 6.05 in 20 overs against South Africa. With T20’s future also looking bleak, Ashwin will continue to be a Test specialist as long as he plays.
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