The Indian cricket team have added R Ashwin to their 15-member squad for the upcoming 2023 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup. The 37-year-old will replace Axar Patel in the team.
This development comes on the deadline day for the teams to make changes to their already announced squads without any questions asked. Starting Friday, the teams willing to make changes in their squad will have to gain permission from the World Cup’s technical committee, as per ICC regulations.
Patel, who picked up a quadriceps strain during the recently concluded 2023 Asia Cup in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, is reportedly out for three weeks. He missed India’s final against Sri Lanka as a result.
The 29-year-old was hence rested for the first two ODIs in the series against Australia and was named for the third and final match in the squad subject to fitness.
Patel, however, failed to recover and missed the third ODI, which India lost by 66 runs on Wednesday.
Ashwin, who was brought back to the ODI setup after 18 months for the series against Australia, impressed with four wickets in the first two matches.
The off-spinner’s inclusion in the team means that Ashwin and Virat Kohli remain the only two cricketers in the squad from the team that lifted the 2011 World Cup in Mumbai.