"They are going to make another mistake to rectify their earlier mistake" - Harbhajan Singh on Washington Sundar and R Ashwin's selections
Harbhajan Singh feels Team India are committing a mistake by picking Washington Sundar and Ravichandran Ashwin in their squad for the Australia series in an attempt to resolve their error of not including an off-spinner in their provisional World Cup squad.
The Men in Blue will face Pat Cummins and Co. in a three-match ODI series, with the first game to be played in Mohali on Friday, September 22. Sundar and Ashwin have both been picked for all three ODIs to try them out ahead of the final World Cup selection.
Reflecting on the development in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Harbhajan opined that the two off-spinners' inclusion is an injudicious call. He elaborated:
"First Washington Sundar, who wasn't in the original Asia Cup squad, was called there. After that, a second player has been added for this series and that is R Ashwin. So somewhere or the other Team India are searching for off-spinners."
The former Indian off-spinner added:
"They have probably realized their mistake that they haven't picked an off-spinner in the team and that our bowlers can get into trouble if a lot of left-handers come in front of them. Why unnecessarily go through all this? It is beyond my understanding or they are going to make another mistake to rectify their earlier mistake."
Harbhajan believes neither Sundar nor Ashwin is likely to get a place in India's playing XI at the World Cup. He reasoned:
"You will never pick three spinners in the team. You will choose two at the most. Ravindra Jadeja is definitely going to play, no matter how many left-handers are there in front of you, and the other spinner will be Kuldeep Yadav. No one can take his place as of now."
India's provisional World Cup squad had two spin-bowling all-rounders in Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. With the latter getting injured in the recently concluded Asia Cup, the selectors and team management want to keep Sundar and Ashwin in their scheme of things in case the Gujarat all-rounder is unable to recover quickly.
"You will once again want to see both these players" - Harbhajan Singh on Washington Sundar and R Ashwin
Harbhajan Singh pointed out that Washington Sundar and Ravichandran Ashwin wouldn't have been picked had they not been in the think-tank's thoughts. He stated:
"Two off-spinners have been kept because you have time till 28th September. You will once again want to see both these players, R Ashwin and Washington Sundar, that what they can do in this format. It is clear or else you wouldn't have kept two off-spinners in the team."
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that either of them can earn a berth in India's World Cup squad if they excel against Australia. He observed:
"It's possible that if either of them gives an extraordinary performance, he can get a place in Team India's squad for the World Cup. So a lot is at stake because R Ashwin can become a part of this team and even Washington Sundar can."
However, Harbhajan concluded by stating that it won't be fair to Axar Patel if either of them take his place in the World Cup squad.