Ravi Ashwin not looking at IPL as a platform for India comeback

Senior Indian off-spinner Ravi Ashwin, who was named the skipper of Kings XI Punjab for IPL 2018 revealed that he is not losing sleep to make a limited-overs comeback to the national team.The 31-year-old was appointed captain ahead of names like Yuvraj Singh and Aaron Finch in the squad. And, Ashwin rubbished any talks of an India comeback stating that his immediate focus is on the “big responsibility” of captaining KXIP franchise in the upcoming edition of the IPL.

The dynamic off-spinner has lost his place in the Indian limited-overs setup along with all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. The off-spinner last took the field in a coloured jersey was in July 2017. Ashwin and Jadeja’s selection for next year’s World Cup seems unlikely at the moment with the advent of young wrist spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav. The duo has had an exemplary campaign in the tricolour, off late.

Ashwin was quoted saying by the Hindustan Times, “I am not looking at this IPL for an India comeback. I go into the IPL with a mindset that I have every year. This season I have a big responsibility (captaining KXIP) and I am ready for the challenge. I am not looking for anything else. It (India comeback) will happen if it has to.”

Ashwin to bowl leg spin as a variation in IPL

As part of his preparations for the upcoming season of IPL, Ashwin is keen to enrich his repertoire of variations. And in a bid to do so, he is practising leg spin as an added option to use it when necessary.

The witty off-spinner used to bowl leg-breaks early on in his career and possessed a lot of variations which took the batsmen by surprise. Ashwin’s performance in the IPL will hold the key for him not just as captain but also as a senior bowler who looks all ready to unleash his leg-spin in the IPL.

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