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Tag: ravichandran ashwin

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Axar out of first two one-dayers against Aus; Ashwin still in the mix, says Rohit Sharma

India captain Rohit Sharma revealed on Sunday that Axar Patel, who picked up a left quadriceps strain during the match against Bangladesh is unlikely to be available for the first two ODIs against Australia starting on Friday. It is understood that Axar will head to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for his rehabilitation as the Indian team for the Australia series could see a few changes. On Saturday, while ruling him out of the Asia Cup final, the BCCI stated that Axar has a strain. However, the scan results seem to have revealed a tear. “Axar had a small tear. It looks like maybe a week or ten days (to heal), I don’t know. We have to see how that injury progresses. Some guys recover quickly, and I hope that’s the case with him. I am not sure whether he will be able to play th...
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When Virat Kohli called Rohit Sharma opposition captain’s ‘nightmare’ – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Indian cricket has indeed been fortunate to witness the talents of numerous exceptional players over the years. While the nation has produced a multitude of cricketing legends, only a select few have been able to establish themselves in the pivotal role of a 'finisher'.Star India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, in a chat on his YouTube channel, revealed an interesting discussion dated 5-6 years back with modern-day great Virat Kohli when the latter asked him about who do you think is a captain's nightmare at the death.When I replied, Is it MS Dhoni? Kohli said, 'No, it is Rohit Sharma'."Virat and I had a discussion while Rohit was batting. I don't remember which match it was. Seeing Rohit bat, I was thinking, "Where do you even bowl to him? If Rohit is set after 15-20 overs,...
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‘The most thankless job’: Ashwin lauds ground staff as rain forces India-Pakistan match into reserve day – Times of India

NEW DELHI: India have not been able to play a full 50 overs match so far in the Asia Cup courtesy an incessant rain. Come Sunday, the heavy downpour again played a spoilsport during the high-octane India-Pakistan match at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.But the ground staff leave no stone unturned and produce best of their efforts to make the field playable as the one such picture of them drying the wet patches on the ground with an innovative way surfaced on social media.India's star off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took to X, formerly Twitter, to extend his gratitude to ground staff for their stupendous work."Innovation. Ground staff doing the most thankless job," Ashwin posted along with the picture of ground staff while they were drying the ground. The match was halted when India were...
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ICC rates West Indies pitches for both India Tests as ‘average’ – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has raised concerns over the pitch quality at Windsor Park in Roseau, Dominica, and rated it "average", following the opening Test match between West Indies and India in July. Jeff Crowe, the match referee for the game, initially gave the pitch a "below average" rating, which could have resulted in the venue receiving a demerit point.Cricket West Indies had the option to appeal Crowe's assessment, but this would have required them to address the ICC regarding the sub-standard pitch conditions.The Windsor Park pitch gained notoriety for its slow and turning nature. During the Test, the home team, batting first, struggled and was bundled out for a mere 150 runs. Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was the star performer, bagging a fife...
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Will Rahul Dravid seek renewal of contract if the BCCI offers him one after the World Cup? | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: His two-year contract will expire at the end of the ODI World Cup but head coach Rahul Dravid's future will be keenly followed in case the Indian team lifts the coveted trophy.It is a foregone conclusion that Dravid will be one of the fall guys if India cannot at least make it to the title clash as a mere semi-final appearance wouldn't be considered good enough.BCCI may search for a coach again and it will be interesting to see if 'The Wall' will be keen on a renewal of contract -- partial or full -- in case Board secretary Jay Shah offers a fresh deal.There is a school of thought that Dravid, in case he is keen, should continue as the red ball coach with South Africa (away) and England (home series) series scheduled very close to the World Cup.There is no harm in having sepa...
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No competition between Ishan Kishan and…’: Ashwin | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The selectors' decision to include Ishan Kishan in India's 15-member squad for the ODI World Cup garnered praise from all quarters with Ravichandran Ashwin saying the young batter seems to have settled the debate of No. 5 batting position after his knock against Pakistan.Kishan bailed India out from a precarious position with a sensible 82-run knock against arch-rivals in the Asia Cup encounter in Pallekele.Star spinner Ashwin hailed Kishan's versatility saying he is two-in-one player and there was no competition for the World Cup spot between Sanju Samson and Kishan."This is not a competition between Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson, because Kishan fills so many roles. When you pick a 15-member squad, you need to pick a backup wicket-keeper. Even when we pick a Ranji Trophy squ...
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India World Cup Squad 2023: ‘Batting depth’ is buzzword | Cricket News – Times of India

Selectors opt for Shardul, Axar over specialists in India's squad; KL Rahul, Suryakumar get the nodIndia on Tuesday announced the squad for the ODI World Cup due to start in India from October 5, with the untested KL Rahul - returning from a long injury layoff - being named in the squad. While Rahul has cleared the fitness test at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), he has had no game time since injuring his hamstring during the IPL earlier this year.The 15-member team wore the same look as the 17-member team currently playing in Asia Cup, with two changes - Prasidh Krishna and rookie Tilak Varma missed out.06:22Fit-again KL Rahul in India's 15-member World Cup squadAdding depth to the batting was the centre issue of the selection meeting. That line of thinking worked in favour of Shard...
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India’s ICC World Cup team selection is all about fear of failure

The smartly brave punt would be on India reaching the World Cup semifinals. Beyond that, if nationalism doesn’t colour the betting skills, it would be a very courageous person to pick this team as a winner.It would take inspired captaincy from Rohit Sharma, allied with a very intelligent selection of the playing XI on the day, to go beyond that. For a tournament that will decide their legacy, both Rohit and Rahul Dravid have their hands and heads full in what would be a very taxing World Cup campaign.If they do it, they will go down in history as great leaders; if they don’t, it won’t be a shock. When the selection of World Cup venues for India games were announced, a pattern emerged. All slow, potentially spin-abetting tracks, carefully chosen for the opponents suggested a CSK-level pl...
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Ravichandran Ashwin urges Indian fans to move past ‘IPL warfare’; backs Shreyas Iyer for No 4 slot

Ravichandran Ashwin weighed in on who should be India’s No 4 batter in the 50-over format a day after the Asia Cup squad for the Men in Blue was announced. “The No 4 slot is one of the most debated slots. Shreyas Iyer is extremely important to our side. He’s one of the best players in the Indian line-up against spin and a very consistent No 4 for India. He’s played a crucial role in India’s success whenever he’s played at No 4. If he’s completely fit to play, there’s no debate who should be No 4 for India,” said Ashwin on his YouTube channel, Around The World of Cricket. He went on to add: “Tilak Verma is an exciting talent. Both Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak bring an X-factor to the team as back-up middle-order batters. Tilak hasn’t scored a lot in the Ireland series. But he’s showing unr...
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Sunil Gavaskar: We should have 15 players for World Cup from Asia Cup team only | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: An annoyed Sunil Gavaskar pleaded with those questioning the Indian team selection for the upcoming Asia Cup and asserted that this 17-man squad should form the nucleus of the 15-member World Cup side.Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was a notable omission from the squad, leaving India with only one wrist spinner in Kuldeep Yadav. Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja are the other spin bowling options in the squad that was named on Monday.Few also wondered why senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who is also a very useful batter lower down the order, was not picked in the side.04:09Big talking points from India's Asia Cup 2023 squad announcement"Yes, there are a few players who will believe that they are lucky. But the team is selected. So don't talk about Ashwin. Stop creating cont...
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‘It has been conveyed to every individual…’: Rohit Sharma reveals big message to Team India players | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Team India skipper Rohit Sharma is advocating for adaptability among his middle-order batters, emphasising that no player in the squad is tied to a specific batting position.Rohit also expressed that the team has been transparent in communicating with every player, ensuring that they understand their designated roles and their standing in the context of their international cricket careers.When queried about the potential batting position of Ishan Kishan should KL Rahul be unavailable in the Asia Cup opener against Pakistan, Rohit shed light on the team's rationale behind their decision-making process."Ajit (Agarkar) is new to the picture and he didn't know what was happening before that. I have tried to keep him updated as much as possible," Rohit said while talking to mediap...
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Rohit Sharma says doors are not shut for these star spinners for World Cup | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Yuzvendra Chahal might have failed to make the cut for the Asia Cup squad but India skipper Rohit Sharma reckons if the leg spinner is required in the World Cup the efforts will be made to get him on the board.While addressing a press conference with chief selector Ajit Agarkar, Rohit said that the team had a discussion about an off or leg spinner."But we also want someone who can bat at number eight and nine.Axar has had a great run with the bat in all formats and the IPL. He got some chances in the West Indies too, but he bats too low. Him being there gives us batting depth, a left-hand option and someone who we can use up the order to play spin.We also thought of Ashwin (Ravichandran Ashwin) and Washi (Washington Sundar) as well. The only way we could include them was by h...
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The only way that can happen is if KL Rahul doesn’t get fit: Ravichandran Ashwin on Ravi Shastri’s Virat Kohli at No. 4 comment

Former India coach Ravi Shastri had recently weighed in India’s number 4 position conundrum when he suggested that Virat Kohli can bat there if need be. “If Virat has to bat at four, he will bat at four in the interest of the side. You know, there were times I thought of it,” Shastri had said in a chat on Star Sports’ Selection Day show. Now, veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has given his own two cents on the topic, saying that Kohli can only be slotted in that position if KL Rahul does not play. “Virat Kohli batted at number 4 in that (2011) World Cup. In fact, Ravi Bhai has mentioned that, if necessary, Virat Kohli should bat at number 4. I think he mentioned that so that we can accommodate a left-hander. The only way that can happen is if KL Rahul doesn’t get fit, and when they ne...
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Watch: Jasprit Bumrah makes sensational return, grabs two wickets in first over against Ireland | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah's comeback to international cricket after an 11-month hiatus was nothing short of a dream. He immediately made a significant impact by claiming two wickets in the opening over of his return during the first T20I against Ireland in Dublin on Friday.After being hit for a boundary in the very first ball of the innings, skipper Bumrah - who returned figures of 2/24 in his four-over spell - bounced back strongly as he knocked over the stumps of Andrew Balbirnie in the next delivery, leading to his trademark arms out celebration. It was a length ball outside off that swung back viciously, taking Balbirnie's inside edge before hitting the stumps.In came Lorcan Tucker, who somehow negotiated the next two balls but eventually lost his patience by ...
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Ravichandran Ashwin: I try to keep negativity away from my thought process | Cricket News – Times of India

India's star off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin tells TOI why he is not stressed about selection matters or the prospect of being left out of the upcoming ODI World Cup squad...CHENNAI: When India's white-ball spinners were finding it tough to deal with West Indiesbatters, consequently losing the T20 series 2-3, the No. 1 spinner in the country, Ravichandran Ashwin, was playing a TNCA league match for his club at the non-descript India Pistons ground on the southern fringes of Chennai.The offspinner, with 489 Test wickets and 151 ODI scalps, has been through a lot in the last few months. The 36-year-old was not considered for the World Test Championship final, came back strong in the West Indies Test series after that, and now he is not in India's scheme of things for the World Cup in Octo...
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Now it’s Buttler’s job to make Stokes available for the World Cup: Ravichandran Ashwin

Ben Stokes, reportedly, making a comeback from ODI retirement to play in the World Cup later this year in India has been the news of the cricket town this week. “Jos Buttler will probably lead the way on that communication, but Ben’s pretty straight with all of us. We will see if he’s keen,” England head coach in white-ball cricket Matthew Mott would tell the Daily Mail. It was last summer when Stokes would announce his retirement from the 50-over format, stating that it was no longer ‘sustainable’ to play all three formats. India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin believes the onus is now on the ODI and T20I skipper Jos Buttler to convince the England Test captain to return for the marquee tournament later this year. “Will Stokes come out of retirement? The main reason why he retired from...
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Ashwin’s ‘piece of information’ for Team India’s critics | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: India might have lost the five-match T20I series against the West Indies but star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin sees a lot of positives from the defeat and even took on those who criticised the team after the loss."There are plenty of positives from this T20I series. It is very easy to criticise the team on social media since they lost to a team that didn't qualify for the last T20 World Cup. They haven't qualified for the upcoming 50-over World Cup as well. I want to give a piece of information to you guys," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.The Windies Make it 3-2 | Indians in County | World Cup 2023 | R AshwinAshwin, however, clarified that he is not supporting anyone and quite understandable those who are upset with the defeat. But he reckons the series was a learning expe...
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Asian Champions Trophy: Embracing the rival, in Chennai fashion | Hockey News – Times of India

CHENNAI: About half-an-hour before the start of the big-ticket India-Pakistan match in the Asian Champions Trophy, youngsters, seated in the stands that were close to the team dugouts, requested Pakistan assistant coach Rehan Butt for a photograph. He duly obliged and put a smile on their faces.They might have not watched Butt weave his magic on the field during his heyday but did not want to miss a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.The fact that he is from the other side of the border did not matter one bit. Much like the young fans, the rest of the capacity crowd gave the Pakistan team a rousing reception in the build-up to the game.Soon after the end of the Pakistan national anthem, the fans came up with a huge round of applause. But the mood completely changed the moment the action beg...
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Tilak Varma could be the X-factor in ODI World Cup, feels Ashwin | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has advocated for the national selectors and team management to place their trust in the promising talent of Tilak Varma.Ashwin believes that including the skilled left-hander in the World Cup squad could potentially address India's ongoing middle-order challenges, especially as several batters are still on the path to recovery from injuries.Former chairman of selectors, MSK Prasad, has also echoed Ashwin's sentiments. Prasad expressed his openness to the idea of having Varma in the final 15-player squad, particularly if Shreyas Iyer does not manage to secure a spot.At a mere 20 years of age, the stylish left-handed batsman from Hyderabad has left a lasting impression on both fans and experts alike. Varma's performances in three T20I ma...
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‘All cricketers worldwide will use this as a strategy…’: R Ashwin reveals why India are labelled favourites before every ICC event by rivals

In any ICC tournament that the Indian cricket team takes part in, they are labelled firm favourites, and the same will be the case later this year for the 50-over world cup. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had an interesting point to make about India deemed as favourites and said it is a strategy used by the opposition to reduce the pressure on themselves and put it back on India. “I know people around the world of cricket will keep saying India are favourites. All the cricketers worldwide will use this as a strategy and say India are favourites before every ICC event,” said Ashwin on his YouTube channel. “They use this strategy to reduce their pressure and put extra pressure on us. India could be one of the favourites,” he added. Speaking of the other favourites the 36-year-old said,...