Veteran Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin raised his concern regarding the place of the Indian wicket-keeper batter KL Rahul, who will return to the side for the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup after a long-standing injury.
The 31-year-old picked up a slight niggle in the lead-up to the continental event with Sanju Samson being named a reserve keeper in the side.
KL Rahul missed out on the first two games against Pakistan and Nepal in the group stage of the tournament but will join the team ahead of the crucial game in the Super 4 stage against the Men in Green on Sunday.
Meanwhile, young Ishan Kishan has impressed everyone with his calm and composed knock in India’s Asia Cup opener thus making a strong case for him to be part of the Indian team for the forthcoming games.
During a discussion on his YouTube channel, Ravichandran Ashwin believes that the comeback man KL Rahul should be given a fair run in the team ahead of the ODI World Cup in India and feels that the people should not question his place in the playing 11 if he was given the opportunity to play the match against Pakistan.
“When you have selected KL Rahul knowing that he is an important player, then he should be given a fair run. How will the team give him that is the million-dollar question. If he is in the playing XI, then people should not say that there is too much chopping and changing,” Ravichandran Ashwin said.
KL Rahul missed out on the majority of the 2023 season due to the injury but is working to put his best foot forward to be fit for the marquee event in the country after 12 long years and the team management will look to give him an opportunity in the middle order ahead of the mega event in the country.
This Is Not A Competition Between Ishan Kishan And Sanju Samson – Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin feels that Ishan Kishan offers a two-in-one role for the team and hailed him for his brilliant performance against Pakistan in the Asia Cup opener. The southpaw has shown the versatility to bat at different positions and different stages of the innings for India in ODI cricket.
“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 wicketkeeper. Even when we pick a Ranji Trophy squad, we pick two wicket-keepers”.
“So, Ishan Kishan is also a backup opener along with being a back-up wicket-keeper, he is a two-in-one player. Now that Ishan Kishan has succeeded at No. 5, it gives India two left-handers in the middle order. Everyone was going gaga over left-handers and they were saying Ishan Kishan cannot bat at No.5, but he has delivered now,” Ravichandran Ashwin added.
Ishan Kishan impressed everyone with his batting by scoring his fourth consecutive half-century in the ODI format of the game and would challenge for the spot in playing 11 going forward as it would be hard for the team management to ignore him at least in the Asia Cup.