Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed his unease about the Indian team for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. The star spinner, who retired from international cricket last December, cannot find the logic behind having five spinners in the team.
India's Champions Trophy squad has five spinners in its bowling department. They are Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakraborty and Washington Sundar. Ashwin commented on the Champions Trophy team on his YouTube channel 'Ash Ki Baat'.
"I don't understand why we are taking so many spinners to Dubai. We have given 5 spinners a place in the team, we have kept Jaiswal. Yes, it is right that when we go on a tour abroad, we take 3-4 spinners. But 5 spinners to Dubai? I don't know. I think, if not two, then at least one spinner is too many."
Although Pakistan is hosting the Champions Trophy this year, India's matches will be held in Dubai due to political differences. Ashwin claimed that the wickets there are not very conducive to spin. He has given reasons for his claim.
"Kuldeep Yadav will play. So how do you find room for Varun? He bowls well. Both of them can be played together. Which seems good to me. But the question is, does the ball turn too much in Dubai? The ILT-Twenty ended a few days ago. I didn't see the ball turn much in Dubai then. The teams chased down 180 runs very easily. I feel uneasy about the (India's Champions Trophy) team."
India begins its Champions Trophy campaign with a match against Bangladesh on February 20. Rohit Sharma's other two opponents in the group stage are Pakistan and New Zealand.
