Former India player Robin Uthappa believes veteran India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will definitely be part of India’s World Cup 2023 squad if talented all-rounder Axar Patel fails to get fit in time as well. However, Uthappa added that Ashwin will be very effective in spin-friendly Indian conditions as well.

Praising him for his impressive ODI comeback, Robin Uthappa said on his YouTube channel: “It certainly seems like Ashwin will be the number-one pick if India miss out Axar Patel. With his experience in India, he is going to be a very dangerous bowler. He got an outside chance, and he is a high-quality player who brings out his best performances in such situations. From not being selected in the World Cup squad to deceiving batters in the Australia series, Ashwin has done exceptionally well.”

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However, Ravichandran Ashwin played in the first two games of India’s ongoing three-match ODI series against Australia and claimed four wickets. He was replaced by young all-rounder Washington Sundar in the third ODI as well. While speaking in the video, Robin Uthappa stated that Shardul Thakur’s recent form could be a cause for concern for Team India prior to the World Cup 2023.

“Shardul Thakur could be a concern for Team India. Yes, he picks up wickets and is a high-quality bowler, but he leaks a lot of runs. He can be very expensive. That’s something that he will have to pay attention to. He is someone who is always going to take wickets, but when he doesn’t take wickets, he ends up looking a little expensive. In CSK, we used to fondly call him the golden arm. I am certain that his role will be very similar for the Indian team,” Robin Uthappa concluded.