What’s the story?
India’s premier off-spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin is set to go all guns blazing in the upcoming Champions Trophy with a bagful of new tricks at his disposal.
"I might be able to throw something new in this tournament... I'm equipped enough to do so. I have an ace up my sleeve. The two warm-up games (vs New Zealand and Bangladesh) will give me an indication on how well I go in the tournament," Ashwin said on the sidelines of an awards function.
In case you didn’t know...
After an exhausting home season that included 13 Tests, the 30-year-old was advised to rest during the IPL. Rejuvenated after a two-month break, Ashwin looks in good shape for the ICC event in England.
The heart of the matter
The off-spinner had a magnificent 2016, putting in dominant performances in the Test series against New Zealand, England and Australia.
The man from Tamil Nadu is considered to be one of the finest spinners in world cricket all thanks to his variations that constantly play on the minds of the batsmen. Ashwin loves to bring something new to the table and it will be interesting to see what he has come up with this time around.
Also read: Champions Trophy 2017: Irfan Pathan confident of India's chances of victory
Ashwin also shed light on how he improvises with respect to the 50-over format, stating that he has developed different techniques based on the changing nature of the game.
What’s next?
India will look to defend the Champions Trophy title that they won back in 2013. They will face Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka in the group stages in what will be quite a challenge for Kohli’s side.
A couple of practice matches are lined up for India against New Zealand (28th May) and Bangladesh (30th May) prior to their first group match against arch-rivals, Pakistan on the 4th of June. They will look to use these matches to find out their best combination going into the marquee event.
Author’s Take
Ashwin’s golden 2016 has given Indian fans plenty to cheer about. The off-spinner is India’s ‘go to’ bowler and most definitely vital to the team’s success. He claims to have an ace up his sleeve and will look to get acquainted with the conditions in the practice games before unleashing it on the unsuspecting oppositions.
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