The former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim has denounced claims that premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s selection for the T20 World Cup is a case of the bowler being offered a “consolation” for his absence from the playing XI for Tests versus England.
Notably, batting legend Sunil Gavaskar had called Ashwin’s return to the T20I side and his selection for the coming ICC event a “consolation” for him following his absence from all four Tests that India played for the Pataudi Trophy in the UK.
Karim, who has been a part of the national men’s selection panel in the past, disagreed with Gavaskar and threw light on the rationale behind his India comeback for the shortest form of the game.
“No, I don’t think Ashwin has got a consolation for not getting picked in England Tests. Selection doesn’t happen this way,”
Karim said on Sports Tak.
The ex-national selector reiterated that the injury to young off-spinner Washington Sundar played a major role behind Ashwin’s re-inclusion to the T20I set-up.
With Sundar ruled out of the IPL 2021 with a finger injury, the selectors gave him as much time to rehab and recover as possible, paving the way for Ashwin’s re-entry to the Indian squad T20 World Cup.
A return to the squad is no guarantee that Ashwin will make the playing XI immediately. Still, Karim believes there is a strong chance that the experienced off-spinner will come in against opposition with more left-handers in their batting unit.
“I think Ashwin will make it to the playing XI. But it will all depend on the opposition India is playing as well. It will be a great combination of three different spinners in the XI if he plays,”
he said.
Ashwin last played a T20I for India in 2017 despite boasting of an impressive record to his name, having taken 52 wickets from 46 matches while maintaining an economy rate of just 6.97.
