Focus on R Ashwin's selection as India host Australia in limited-overs' series

Courtesy: PTI

New Delhi: Come Sunday (September 17), India will start their limited-over's campaign against Australia with the first of five ODI matches in Chennai. But Team India, which whitewashed Sri Lanka 9-0 across all formats, is likely to face seletion conundrums.

Ravichandran Ashwin, who has been India's weapon of choice in recent past, was sent home after the three-match Test series in Sri Lanka. He was then allowed to join County side Worcestershire. It was widely claimed then that the off-spinner was being prepared, or rather sent in a English mission ahead next year's series in England.

Now, it's being reported that Ashwin is likely to miss the Australia series too. It's also important to note that Ashwin's limited-overs' form has been subject to scrutiny for some time. It will be interesting to see if the 30-year-old is selected for the upcoming series.

Unlike the Lankans, Steve Smith & Co would be a different beast altogether. While taking on them, India will need all their resources, and leaving a player of Ashwin's calibre may well prove detrimental in India's cause.

Meanwhile, a Times of India report qouting a BCCI official claimed that there still exists confusion over the inclusion of Ashwin.

If the selectors pick him, then his County stint will be cut short, meaning it would only hamper the very agenda of Ashwin getting used to the English conditions.

Ashwin has a four-match contract with the Division two side in England, of which only two matches are over so far. He is likely to feature in Worcestershire's home game against Leicestershire from September 12-15. It will be followed by a game against Durham from September 25-28.

If he is allowed to play these two remaining games, the all-rounder won’t be available for the first four ODI games against Australia. The fifth and final ODI is scheduled for October 1, and paucity in time may well restrict him from taking part in it too.

“Ashwin has a contract of four games for Worcestershire. If he is called back after two games only, then the purpose of sending him to get a proper county exposure is lost. It’s the team management and the selectors who decided that he should be playing county cricket,” a BCCI official privy to selection matter told PTI on Saturday.