Former India cricketer Akash Chopra feels that spinner Ravichandran Ashwin cannot be relied on as a wicket-taking option in the shortest format as the bowler might fail sometimes. While lauding Ashwin for his performance post the T20 World Cup 2021, Chopra said that the off-spinner will play the role of defensive bowler to perfection but was skeptical about his performance when the team would be needing wickets from him. Ashwin made a return to the T20I format after eight months and has since taken three wickets in as many games.
After the T20 World Cup 2021, Ashwin has played five matches and picked six wickets, while IPL 2022 saw him claiming 12 wickets from 17 games. He got a T20I call-up for India's five-match T20I series vs West Indies and was later named in India's Asia Cup squad. The tournament starts August 27 in the United Arab Emirates.
"Ravichandran Ashwin - he was suddenly an out-of-the-box selection at the last World Cup as well. Here also just before the World Cup he went to the West Indies and is now in the Asia Cup squad, will play the World Cup again, that's what it seems," said Chopra on his YouTube channel.
"If you are giving him a defensive role, he will do it to perfection. But if you are expecting wickets from him, be prepared that it might not happen. What role you define for him, that is very important for me. I think it's not about who is good or who is bad but the point is what sort of a spinner you need," added Chopra.
In the Asia Cup, India will square off against Pakistan in their opening match on August 28 in Dubai.