Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh feels Axar Patel’s replacement should have been someone else and not R Ashwin. The Player of the tournament in 2011 World Cup, Yuvraj said that he feels Washington Sundar should have been the ideal replacement and he provided the reason behind his thinking. Axar sustained a quadriceps injury while batting against Bangladesh in Asia Cup 2023.
Ahead of the final vs Sri Lanka, spin-bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar was quickly sent to Colombo as the back-up player for Axar. Sundar is a right-arm off-spinner, who bats left-handed and was being seen as one of the closest option to replace Axar if he did not get fit in time for the World Cup.
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However, after India won Asia Cup, captain Rohit Sharma told media that he is also in touch with R Ashwin over the phone. Eventually, Ashwin was named in the ODI squad for the 3 matches vs Australia at home. Ashwin picked four wickets and was very economical as well. His performance in the series and also the fact that he thrives on the Indian pitches put him in front to replace Axar.
R Ashwin replaces injured Axar Patel in the 15-member squad.
We wish Axar a speedy recovery _ _#TeamIndia‘s final squad for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 is here _#CWC23 pic.twitter.com/aejYhJJQrT
— BCCI (@BCCI) September 28, 2023
As expected, Axar was ruled out of the World Cup as his injury had aggravated. And it was Ashwin who was named as the replacement player.
Yuvraj, who has been Ashwin’s teammate in the national team as well as at Punjab Kings, said that Sundar would have been the ideal replacement for Axar. “With Axar not there we have to wait and see who will bat at No. 7. I was thinking if Washington Sundar would have played in place of Axar then India would have had another left-hander. But unfortunately, he did not get picked and so did Yuzvendra Chahal. But otherwise, I feel the combination is fine,” Yuvraj Told Hindustan Times Digital.
Ashwin’s sudden inclusion has surprised many as he last played an ODI, before the Australia series, in Janaury 2022. In 115 ODIs, Ashwin has picked 155 wickets. He has played two World Cups, in 2011 and 2015.
The right-arm off-spinner can be dangerous for the opposition team which has plenty of left-handers in their lineup including Australia. Knowing Ashwin’s skills and experience of bowling in India, the host country may want to make pitches that suits his kind of bowling during the course of the World Cup.