While the Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is not playing the limited-overs cricket regularly, he said about his chance to play the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup in England depends on team management and selectors.
Ashwin has played his last ODI on June 20, 2017, while he has played his last T20I on July 9, 2017. While the left-arm chinaman Kuldeep Yadav and leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal are growing up in the limited-overs formats, Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are facing tough fights to make a place in the squad.
At the unveiling of his Tamil Nadu Premier League team Dindigul Dragons, Ashwin said about his chance to play the 2019 CWC, “It entirely depends on what other people (team management and selectors) perceive of my cricket. It’s definitely not in my control. Like any other cricketer, I want to wear the blue jersey and represent India at the World Cup. That’s obviously there deep with in.”
Ashwin has claimed that he is just focusing on enjoying the game and wants to grab the chances when it lands on him.
The 31-year-old off-spinner said, “At this stage of my career, physically and mentally, I am just focusing on enjoying my cricket. If I land an opportunity, I want to be in good frame of mind to grab it with both hands.”
Ashwin is also working on his leg-spin who has delivered that in the recent domestic matches and the IPL 2018.
Talking about his leg-spin bowling, Ashwin told, “Nothing for me is experimentation. There is logic behind whatever I do. Before I bowled a delivery of leg-spin in IPL, I have bowled about, probably, a lakh of balls in practice. The thought process alone is experimentation.
“What I might do tomorrow in a game, I really don’t know. As a Test cricketer, I pretty much know what is important in a Test match. If I wanted to bowl a bunch of leg spin and googly, I would have done it in Afghanistan (Test). “
Indian cricket team is now busy in their UK tour. After completing the two-match T20I series in Ireland, India will play three-match T20I series and three-match ODI series against the hosts England before the five-match Test series.
While Ashwin feels the upcoming ODI series in England will be the high-scoring, he believes Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah’s death overs bowling will be the key for India.
The Indian off-spinner spoke about the series, “England is a strong team in the shorter formats. They tweaked their strategy and team combination after the 2015 World Cup. The key for India in ODIs will be Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah’s death overs. Hopefully, it will be a high scoring series.”
Praising the Indian fast bowlers, Ashwin believes spinners will play an important role in the second half of English cricket summer.
Ashwin said, “We have a good battery of fast bowlers who have done exceedingly well in the South Africa tour. We fancy our chances. Going in the second half of the English summer, the spinners will definitely come into play. I’m not going to set any personal records to achieve.”
Talking about the YoYo fitness test, Ashwin feels it’s easier than his engineering exams. However, he hasn’t shared his further opinion on that test.
The experienced Indian cricket said, “I passed my engineering exams, YoYo wasn’t that tough. If you ask if YoYo is needed in cricket. I have no opinion on that.”
Ashwin has also revealed that he will play for Worcestershire again if he will get a chance to play the English county cricket. The Indian off-spinner played for Worcestershire during his first county stint in 2017.
Ashwin said, “If I am playing county again, I would turn up for Worcestershire. The deal couldn’t really go through because of the Afghanistan Test and the domestic T20 in England. I am not sure whether I would be playing there at the end of the season.
“I know what to expect in England, in terms of weather and pitches. New Road (Worcestershire home ground) was a very difficult track to bowl on. I enjoyed my cricket there. I have zero expectations going there.”
