Axar was initially included in the provisional squad but was unable to recover from a left quadriceps strain sustained during the Asia Cup match against Bangladesh on September 15.
In India’s final 15-man squad for the 2023 World Cup, veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been selected to replace Axar Patel. Axar was initially included in the provisional squad but was unable to recover from a left quadriceps strain sustained during the Asia Cup match against Bangladesh on September 15. Ashwin has already joined the team in Guwahati, where they will face England in their first warm-up game on September 30.
During this period, Ashwin had the opportunity to participate in two of the three home ODIs against Australia. He made the most of this chance, taking four wickets in two matches. In the second ODI in Indore, he showcased his full range of skills, recording figures of 3 for 41. His carrom balls posed challenges for both David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne, making it difficult for them to negotiate on a good batting track at the Holkar Stadium.
Ashwin’s inclusion in the squad provides India with an offspinner alongside Ravindra Jadeja’s left-arm orthodox spin and Kuldeep Yadav’s left-arm wristspin, creating a well-rounded spin attack on paper. Before the final ODI in Rajkot, Captain Rohit Sharma praised Ashwin’s ability to perform under pressure, emphasizing his experience and class. “He has the class and experience in the sport,” Rohit remarked. “While he hasn’t played ODIs in the past year or so, you can’t discount his skills and experience. In the last couple of games, we witnessed his exceptional bowling.”
This marks Ashwin’s third ODI World Cup appearance and his second on home soil. He was part of India’s victorious campaign in 2011 and also played in the 2015 edition in Australia. However, he was not selected for the 2019 edition, when India opted for two leg spinners. Since then, the team management has found a way to reintegrate finger-spin into their game strategy.
Indian squad for the ODI World Cup 2023:
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (VC), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah
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