Abu Dhabi, November 2
Senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s inexplicable absence from the playing XI is in focus as India skipper Virat Kohli tries to figure the combination that can bring his team’s floundering campaign back on track when they take on a feisty Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup here tomorrow.
Even as two crushing defeats to Pakistan and New Zealand and the performance they had put in is not worthy of a semifinal spot, the mathematics keeps their hopes alive.
Afghanistan have expectedly won their two games against Scotland and Namibia and were in the contest against Pakistan for the better part before Asif Ali took the game away with four sixes in one over. In this backdrop, Mohammed Nabi and Rashid Khan would like to use all their might and T20 freelancing experience to rub salt into the Indian injury and prolong the nightmare.
Making the right moves
For Kohli, in probably his last three matches as T20 captain of India, one would expect some prudent team selections and it starts with the question of repeatedly ignoring a player of Ashwin’s calibre. It is unheard of in world cricket that one of the most decorated players among the current generation has been transformed into a glorified traveller since he last wore the national shirt in June.
Ashwin’s entry into the white-ball team after four years was indeed left-field selection and if sources are to be believed, it never had the Indian skipper’s approval.
However, Kohli’s decision to not even consider him as an option is something that many in Indian cricket feel “borders on stubbornness” after Varun Chakravarthy’s inability to deliver under pressure proved what experience actually means. — PTI
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Not fretting over NRR
DUBAI: India’s immediate target is to win their remaining three group matches to try and stay alive in and not worry about any run-rate scenario yet, batting coach Vikram Rathour said today. Even if they beat Afghanistan on Wednesday and Scotland and Namibia in their subsequent Group II matches, the 2007 champions would need other results to go their way and the net run rate (NRR) to favour them to make the last-four. “At this time, the focus is to play good cricket and to win the remaining three games,” Rathour said. “I think this calculation will come into picture when we get to the last game, and when other results are out. At this moment, no, there’s no focus on calculating run rates or anything. We’re just looking to play when and sort out issues and win the games.” Reuters
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