Kolkata: Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's last-minute inclusion in the Indian cricket team for the World Cup 2023 has divided the country's cricket buffs.
Axar Patel, whom Ashwin replaced, missed out on a once-in-lifetime opportunity to play in a home World Cup as he sustained an injury during India's Asia Cup match against Bangladesh. Ashwin's good show in the recently concluded series against Australia at home further solidified his chances of the World Cup call.
Speaking about it, Sandeep Patil, the 1983 World Cup-winning team member, who was in Kolkata on Monday to join the Shrachi group's tie-up ceremony with the East Bengal Club's cricket team, said it was unfortunate for Axar to be left out of the World Cup squad like this. Patil, however, also questioned the selectors' move to not pick Ashwin in the initial squad. According to him, the Indian team "always needs a spinner like Ashwin".
Patil predicted four World Cup semi-final teams at the event in Kolkata. Besides India, Patil feels New Zealand, Australia, and England will make the last-four stage of the tournament. He did not name Pakistan in the race for the semi-finals despite the World Cup being played in the subcontinent. Patil said that he judged the line-up based on the recent form. India are the hot favourites for the upcoming World Cup. "Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma will decide what will be the team's playing XI," Patil said.
Asked who could be India's game-changer in the ICC World Cup 2023, the former batter put his money on Hardik Pandya, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Shubman Gill. Apart from being a member of India's World Cup-winning team in 1983, Patil also served as the Indian coach, selector, and director of the Bengaluru-based National Cricket Academy (NCA).
