Ravichandran Ashwin in IPL 2020
Former India batsman and Delhi Capitals' assistant coach Mohammad Kaif has backed Ravichandran Ashwin to make a comeback in the T20I side. Hailing Ashwin as a 'valuable asset' for India in the shortest format of the game, Kaif highlighted the off-spinner's performances for Delhi this season, especially in Powerplays.
In the recently-concluded IPL edition in the UAE, Ashwin scalped 13 wickets in 15 games at an economy of 7.66. The DC team management decided to utilize the 34-year-old in the initial overs and he duly obliged.
The experienced campaigner scalped the prized wickets of Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and David Warner in this year's IPL, proving his worth with the new ball.
"Virat, Rohit, Pollard, Gayle, Warner, QDK, Karun, Buttler, Smith, Paddikal, Pooran. Read and re-read @ashwinravi99's list of big scalps from IPL 13, mostly in power plays. Feel Ash can still be a valuable asset for India in T20Is," Kaif tweeted.
The wrist-spinner duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav has been regular for India with the white ball, confining Ashwin only to the traditional format. He hasn't played a limited-overs game for India since 2017, and his last ODI and T20I appearance was against West Indies.
Meanwhile, Ashwin has been slotted into the Test squad for the much-awaited Australia tour, set to start with three ODIs and as many T20Is from November 27.
The four-match Test series will get underway from December 17 and Team India players have already started sweating out in the nets ahead of their gruelling two-month tour. In a recent training video, Ashwin was spotted throwing volleys at KL Rahul with a tennis racquet.
