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“Ash Anna” became one of the top trends on the microblogging platform Twitter, now rebranded as X, after veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin featured in Team India's squad for the forthcoming ODI World Cup.
* Philosopher from Chennai
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Ash Anna redemption time is coming.pic.twitter.com/WMfXqkl2WC https://t.co/3G6LVdCCTH— Abdullah (@abdullahhammad4) September 28, 2023
Ash Anna is in the WC squad 😭 #WorldCup2023 #CWC23 pic.twitter.com/S8fatobbNA
— Humza Sheikh (@Sheikhhumza49) September 28, 2023
At the start of 2022, almost everyone would have expected Ash Anna to feature as a player in the 2023 WTC final and as a Twitter expert during 2022 WT20 and 2023 ODI World Cup.. pic.twitter.com/V1nBXhNRC8
— Harisankar (@harish_staycalm) September 28, 2023
2023 World Cup: Enter Ash Anna! 🇮🇳🫡 pic.twitter.com/igb5k84hDV
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) September 28, 2023
Make way for Ash Anna! 🥳 #WhistlePodu #CWC2023 🦁💛@ashwinravi99 pic.twitter.com/knSEYsmKml
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) September 28, 2023
Notably, Ravichandran Ashwin, who last played an ODI in January 2022 before being drafted into the Indian team for the recently concluded three-match series against Australia, impressed almost everyone, including the fans, selectors and former players with his performance against Pat Cummins and his boys.
In the two games he played against the Kangaroos, Ravichandran Ashwin grabbed four wickets. His figures of 3/41 in Indore, where he posed serious problems for Australian batters, appear to have convinced skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid to recall him for the World Cup.
Besides, the World Cup is being played in India, handing Ravichandran Ashwin a massive advantage in home conditions. With his wide range of variations and ability to impart turn on his stock balls, he could be lethal on slow and dry Indian pitches.
Ravichandran Ashwin will be a part of a trio of spinners that features Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav in the Indian bowling line-up.
The Tamil Nadu-born tweaker, not included in the provisional 15-men squad announced earlier, replaced all-rounder Axar Patel in the Rohit Sharma-led side.
Axar Patel suffered a quadriceps injury during India's match against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka earlier this month.
The left-arm orthodox bowler was sent to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru to expedite his recovery but failed to get fit for the tournament.
“India have been forced to make a late change to their 15-member squad for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup. Axar Patel has failed to recover in time for the World Cup after sustaining a left quadriceps strain during India's Asia Cup Super Four encounter against Bangladesh. The spin-bowling all-rounder missed the final of the Asia Cup as a result. Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been named his replacement, who was impressive on his return to ODI cricket in the recently concluded series against Australia where he picked up four wickets in two games,” the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on its official website.
Before the ICC officially announced the move, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar backed him to be picked in India's 15-men World Cup squad, considering he bowled exceptionally well against the Australians.
Additionally, there were doubts about whether Axar Patel could deliver his best in the quadrennial event even if he managed to recover from injury, possibly helping Ravichandran Ashwin to get in the side.
“The way he has bowled in the last two matches, I think he has made the cut for the World Cup squad. If there is even a hint of doubt on Axar Patel's fitness, whether he'll be completely fit for the entire World Cup; because any injury can be a recurring one and he needs to be careful. If the team management think they can't take that chance with Axar because it is the World Cup and everyone wants their squad to be 100 percent fit; so if there are any doubts then Ashwin could make a comeback,” Sunil Gavaskar said.
“He has bowled exceptionally well in the last 3-4 overs he bowled in Mohali, then the way he utilized the carrom ball in Indore. So if there are any doubts on Axar, Ashwin will come back into the team,” the former India captain explained.
“Ravichandran Ashwin has performed really well and I feel he will be in the World Cup squad. Teams can be changed before September 28 and I feel Axar Patel will be out as a variation will be added to the squad. Earlier, I felt they would play Washington Sundar because he was called to Sri Lanka before Ashwin,” Harbhajan Singh stated on his YouTube channel.
“They have gone with Ashwin because he has the experience. The rest of the team is solid and I hope that the good performances continue,” the ex-India off-spinner added.
For the unversed, Ravichandran Ashwin is only the second cricketer who was also a part of India's previous World Cup triumph in 2011, the other being talismanic batter Virat Kohli.
Two-time champions India will open their World Cup campaign against Australia in Chennai on October 8.
The last time the Men in Blue won an ICC event was in 2013 when they lifted the Champions Trophy title in England.
Since then, the Indians have competed in two ODI World Cups, one Champions Trophy, two World Test Championships, and four T20 World Cups but failed to clinch the trophy on every occasion.
India's squad for ICC ODI World Cup: Rohit Sharma (captain), Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav.
