T20 World Cup 2021: "It is a matter of investigation" - Dilip Vengsarkar questions Ravichandran Ashwin's exclusion
Former Indian cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar has questioned the omission of veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin from the first two games of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.
This comes after India lost both of their opening games against Pakistan and New Zealand. They failed to take any wickets against Pakistan, while got just two against the Kiwis.
The management pinned hopes on mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who has looked pretty ordinary so far in the competition. Vengsarkar seems perplexed by the logic of picking Ravichandran Ashwin after four years in the squad if he is not going to play.
Will he ever get to play, red ball, white ball ? He obviously has an accreditation to all venues where India plays. Do he can watch in comfort 😃 but it must be tough to be @ashwinravi99 Bowl only in the nets and cheer from the dressing room 🤦
Pic: StarsUnfolded.com https://t.co/3Zgaj0YDk7
Speaking to PTI, Dilip Vengsarkar said:
"Why is Ashwin being so dropped for so long? It is a matter of investigation. Across formats he is your best spinner with more than 600 international wickets. He is your senior most spinner and you don't pick him."
He further added:
"I fail to understand. He didn't play a single game in the England Test series also. Why do you pick him then? It is a mystery to me."
Incidentally, Ravichandran Ashwin looked good in the warm-up games leading up to the T20 World Cup. He returned with 2/8 in the last practice game against Australia.
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"I have not seen such body language in the players in a long time" - Dilip Vengsarkar
India haven't competed. And while it was always going to be a three way battle in the group, I don't think anyone saw this coming.
Indian cricketers have come under the lens after poor outings in their first two games against Pakistan and New Zealand. Dilip Vengsarkar highlighted that the players looked dull in the opening two encounters.
"The team looked off coloured and players looked jaded. I don't know if it is the bio bubble fatigue or something else, I have not seen such body language in the players in a long time," Dilip Vengsarkar added.
Virat Kohli & Co's hopes of making it to the semifinals now hang by the thread. They need to win all their remaining games by a good margin. They also need to look at New Zealand and Afghanistan's results for a place in the top four from Group 2 alongside Pakistan.