R Ashwin’s selection for the West Indies tour was an excellent one: Sanjay Manjrekar

As the T20 World Cup is knocking at the door, the Board of Cricket Control India is quite busy with forming a compact 15-man squad. The Men In Blue are playing back-to-back T20I series and keeping an eye on every player to find the best possible combinations in each department. While India have a few spinner options in their hands, it’s quite hard to choose the perfect pair for the Australian tracks. Amid the situation, former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar seemed hopeful about Ravichandran Ashwin’s comeback to the major ICC event. Taking on Sports18’s show ‘Sports Over The Top’, Sanjay Manjrekar suggested his preferred pair of Indian spinners for the upcoming T20 World Cup. He noted that Ravichandran Ashwin can be a good option for the middle overs with Yuzvendra Chahal. According to him, Chahal can be a good fit for the veteran spinner, take the pressure away from him and let him bowl freely. On the other hand, Kuldeep Yadav is also on the line to get an opportunity. Sanjay Manjrekar thinks Ravichandran Ashwin’s experience of playing on a big stage can play a pivotal role in the selection process. He is also performing well in the ongoing T20I series against West Indies. In 3 matches so far, the off-spinner has got three wickets to his name giving away just 8 runs. “I think Ashwin’s selection for the West Indies tour was an excellent one. He started performing well in the Indian T20 League in the last couple of years,” Manjrekar said. However, he also emphasised the fact that in the shortest format of the game, the spinners’ duty is to take wickets in the middle overs and this is where Ravichandran Ashwin is lacking. Being economical is his expertise but the team will need someone to fetch some occasional scalps. In this situation, Yuzvendra Chahal, who has been in outstanding form since the IPL 2022, can be the best company for Ravichandran Ashwin. “When you have a wrist-spinner like Chahal, Ashwin becomes a good compliment because the man has mastered the art of being economical in T20 cricket,” Sanjay Manjrekar noted. Team India will start their T20 World Cup journey with their opening game against arch-rival Pakistan on 23 October at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.