R Ashwin is a standout player in Test cricket, known for his excellent wicket-taking skills. However, some people doubt his effectiveness in one-day cricket. While Ashwin has had a fluctuating career in ODIs and T20Is, he has been a part of multiple World Cups in both formats. When questioned about Ashwin’s performance in white-ball cricket, former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh promptly expressed his opinion that the seasoned spinner “doesn’t deserve” a spot in India’s T20I and ODI squads.
Yuvraj Singh Made A Bold Remark Against R Ashwin
In an interview with the Times of India, Yuvraj promptly highlighted Ashwin’s prowess in Test cricket, acknowledging his excellence with the red ball. However, Yuvraj suggested that Ashwin falls short in the limited-overs formats, where specific skills are required. According to Yuvraj, while Ashwin is an exceptional bowler, he doesn’t contribute significantly with the bat and in the field in white-ball formats. Yuvraj said:
“Ashwin is a great bowler but I don’t think he deserves a place in ODIs and T20s. He is very good with the ball, but what does he bring with the bat? Or as a fielder? In the Test team, yes, he should be there. But in white-ball cricket, I don’t think he deserves a place,”
Yuvraj and Ashwin shared the journey of winning the ODI World Cup in 2011 as part of the Indian team. Ashwin has consistently praised Yuvraj for his significant contributions to Indian cricket, particularly acknowledging his resilience during a challenging health crisis.
In a video on his YouTube channel, Ashwin disclosed his profound shock upon learning about his cancer diagnosis. He had said:
“Yuvi used to cough, and he used to cough vehemently. I used to think that it is the pressure of the game and he is coughing it off and he used to cough in the middle. Literally, nobody had any idea, at least from the junior segment of the team that he was suffering from a serious illness,”
He added:
“When it broke out (the news of Yuvraj having cancer), I was shocked because I did not expect somebody who had just become Player of the series, in fact like I would say, ‘Bharat ka Icon’. That literally was it. I think Sachin Tendulkar played an unbelievably big role in that Yuvraj Singh’s World Cup. I call it the Yuvraj Singh’s World Cup because you name it, he was there in that situation in the centre,”
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