IPL 2020: Ravichandran Ashwin likely to join Delhi Capitals from Kings XI Punjab
In what could be big news in the Indian Premier League, speculation is heavy that Ravichandran Ashwin is set to leave Kings XI Punjab to join Delhi Capitals for the next season. As per a recent PTI report, a swap deal is already done between the two franchises for the experienced spinner and only the official announcement remains to be done. In return, Delhi Capitals would have to give two players to Kings XI Punjab.
The departure of the spin ace will mean an increase in the chances of batsman KL Rahul to take over the reins as a full-time captain from the next season.
Recently appointed as the Director of Cricket of the Kings XI Punjab franchise, Anil Kumble had openly spoken about Ashwin being an important asset to the team but had cast doubts over his future as captain of the side.
"I think any decision on Ashwin or any other player is an internal matter of the team. Ash (Ashwin) is a fantastic asset to the team. We all know his contributions to the Indian team over that last so many years. He has been a brilliant player for India. But there is no certainty yet that he'll be the captain this year. Moving forward, we still haven't taken any decision on anyone for that matter. We need to sit down with the (Kings XI) board."
Ness Wadia, co-owner of Kings XI Punjab had gone on record to state that Ashwin wasn’t going to be released and was a vital player in their hunt for a maiden IPL trophy. The Delhi-based franchise will hugely benefit from the addition of an influential player like Ashwin. Shreyas Iyer side will enjoy the luxury of having a good balance of youth and experience in their arsenal.
Ashwin was bought for Rs 7.6 crores by Kings XI Punjab and captained them for two seasons- 2018 and 2019, with occasional success. In 28 IPL matches for Kings XI, Ashwin took 25 wickets and scored 144 runs. As captain, he performed well in patches, winning 10 and losing 16.
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