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Where would you add Ashwin when Washington does that job for the team, asks Kohli
A question on off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s absence from the India limited-overs squads irked India captain Virat Kohli on the eve of the first T20I against England in Ahmedabad.
Ashwin might have turned around things for India in Test cricket but Kohli played down the possible return of the seasoned off-spinner in T20Is.
Despite being a consistent performer in the IPL, Ashwin has been continuously ignored in India’s T20 and ODI sides. Ashwin picked up 13 wickets in last IPL for Delhi Capitals at an impressive economy rate of 7.66. Ashwin last played a T20I in July 2017 while his last game in the ODIs was against West Indies in June in the same year.
Kohli said all-rounder Washington Sundar, who played against Australia in India's last T20I outing, remains the hosts' first choice unless he himself underperforms in the later stages.
"Washington has been doing really well for us. You cannot have two players (Washington and Aswhin) of the same discipline playing in one spot. So, unless Washy has a drastically horrible season and things go south for him, I mean the question should be asked with some kind of logic as well. You suggest where you would add Ash when Washington does that job for the team," Kohli said in a virtual press conference on Thursday.
The Men in Blue have some newbies in their squad and all of them have high potential to start firing from game number one. The likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Rahul Tewatia, and Ishan Kishan have impressed in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and it has finally seen them being rewarded with a place in the Indian squad for the T20I series.