Ravi Ashwin and Rahul Dravid (Photo Source: Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
Ravichandran Ashwin was surprisingly excluded from India’s playing XI for the World Test Championship final against Australia in June. A lot of experts opined that India missed the trick by dropping their premier spinner in such an important encounter. India went on to lose by 209 runs.
The off-spinner will be seen in action during India’s tour of the West Indies. Ashwin has been picked in the squad for the two Tests that are scheduled to be played in Dominica and Trinidad, respectively. The Rohit Sharma-led side reached the Caribbean two weeks prior to the start of the first Test on July 12. According to Ashwin, India’s head coach Rahul Dravid gives a lot of emphasis on preparation, and that is one of the reasons why the team has landed in the Caribbean well ahead of the series opener.
“We have come early for a 10-day window for our preparation to get rid of the jet lag. Our coach Rahul Dravid puts great emphasis on preparation. If we can take care of the preparation, the rest will take care of itself,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
It is a very exciting time for Indian cricket: Ravichandran Ashwin
The 36-year-old noted that there are a lot of new faces in the Indian side. Uncapped players like Mukesh Kumar and Yashasvi Jaiswal have been named in the Test squad. Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is yet to make his Test debut, has been named in both the Test and ODI squads. The 31-year-old Jaydev Unadkat has also been named in both squads and Ashwin expects him to get a good run in the Caribbean.
“There are a lot of new and exciting faces in the Indian camp. We have Mukesh Kumar, and I feel Jaydev Unadkat will get a good run in the series. It is a very exciting time for Indian cricket.”
Rohit Sharma and Co. will begin their 2023-2025 World Test Championship cycle with the series against the West Indies.