Ravichandran Ashwin's Intensive Practice Session Hints At His Inclusion For India's World Cup Opener Vs Australia

Ashwin's potential inclusion as the third spinner alongside Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav is being considered due to the likely gripping pitch conditions at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Chennai: In a strong indication that he may feature in India's World Cup opener against Australia, veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin underwent an intense net session. Ashwin's potential inclusion as the third spinner alongside Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav is being considered due to the likely gripping pitch conditions at the MA Chidambaram Stadium and his historical prowess against Australian veterans David Warner and Steve Smith. Ashwin's net session was confirmed in a report by news agency PTI.

Ashwin's ability to turn the ball away from left-handed batsmen has troubled Warner in the past, dismissing him a remarkable 11 times in Test matches. In a recent second ODI against India, Warner even batted right-handed to counter Ashwin's tactics. Smith, a consistent performer in ODIs, has also faced challenges against Ashwin, particularly in Test cricket. Hence, it wouldn't be surprising to see Ashwin getting the nod ahead of pacer Shardul Thakur in India's World Cup campaign opener. 

The report by news agency PTI has claimed that Ashwin, who replaced the injured Axar Patel in India's World Cup squad, participated in an extended net session, bowling to players like Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, and Thakur, among others. Before focusing on his bowling, Ashwin spent considerable time refining his batting skills. Impressively, Ashwin demonstrated his ability to play aerial shots during the batting session, a skill that could prove valuable if he comes out to bat at No. 8.

This marked the second practice session for India ahead of their crucial match against Australia, as confirmed in the same PTI report. Notably, all players, except Shubman Gill, attended the practice session. Captain Virat Kohli appeared to be in fine form during his nearly 45-minute stint in the nets, showcasing his signature drives against both pacers and throwdown specialists. Other batters like Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ishan Kishan also had productive practice sessions.

While Suryakumar Yadav, Kishan, and Jadeja displayed their prowess in playing big shots, Iyer was occasionally tested with short-pitched deliveries, which he handled effectively with well-executed pull shots. Furthermore, bowlers including Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, and Shardul Thakur spent time honing their batting skills. Rahul, who recently returned to international cricket following an injury layoff, received some valuable guidance from head coach Rahul Dravid.

Among the bowlers, pacers Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj bowled with intensity, occasionally posing challenges to Iyer and Thakur with deliveries that moved away from the batsmen.

Notably, there was no specific preparation against the left-arm pace of Mitchell Starc, who showcased his skill by taking a hat-trick against the Netherlands in a warm-up match. However, the playing conditions in Chennai could significantly differ from the conditions in Thiruvananthapuram where Starc excelled.

Starc has historically troubled Indian batters, claiming 12 wickets in eight ODIs against India in India. His average against the Men in Blue stands at 39.41, and he maintains an economy rate of 6.50.

(With Inputs From PTI)