"It's highly doubtful Ravichandran Ashwin will be picked" - Laxman Sivaramakrishnan analyzes India's spin options for the T20 World Cup

Former India leg-spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan recently named three sure-shot tweakers for India T20 World Cup squad 2021 while leaving a choice between two all-rounders. He opined that veteran Ravichandran Ashwin won’t get the green light since he has now become a Test specialist.

The Chetan Sharma-led senior selection committee is due to pick 15 players and around five standby options on Wednesday (September 8) for the showpiece event scheduled to start on October 17. While most of the players pick themselves, India's middle order and spin department might give the selectors some headaches.

Sivaramakrishnan opined that all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and the leg-spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Rahul Chahar should be a part of the side. He added that Ashwin, left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav and ‘mystery spinner’ Varun Chakravarthy could fail to get the nod.

“Jadeja will definitely be a part of India's side. Yuzvendra Chahal, Rahul Chahar – two leg-spinners – I think that will be the spin department, Varun, Ashwin and Kuldeep might miss out,” the cricketer-turned-broadcaster said in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda.

Asked who among Chahal and Chahar would pose a bigger threat to batters, the former Tamil Nadu leggie reiterated that anybody who can turn the ball will be a cause of concern for the opposition.

“Anybody will turn the ball would produce troubles. That’s the main thing, you have to be able to turn the ball, be it any format – more so in T20 where they are looking to play a shot every ball,” Sivaramakrishnan, who picked up 41 wickets in 9 Tests and 16 ODIs, stated.

While Chahal loves to toss the ball up and relies more on his stock delivery, Rajasthan tweaker Chahar is quicker through the air and adept at unfurling the googly. However, it is to be noted that the tracks in the UAE are likely to be on the slower side since the remaining 31 matches of IPL 2021 will also be played in the Emirates.

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“Washi and Krunal Pandya might be fighting for the same place” – Laxman Sivaramakrishnan

Washington Sundar (L) suffered a finger injury while playing for Select County XI versus India in July

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Wrist spinners are an asset in the T20 format, but spinners who can bat a bit are also a great strength to possess. In addition to Jadeja, India can also avail the services of Washington Sundar, Krunal Pandya and Axar Patel.

Laxman Sivramakrishnan remarked it will be a fight between Sundar and Pandya senior for the fourth spinner’s slot.

“It’s a tough choice – Washi might be there because he and Krunal Pandya might be fighting for the same place... Washi should be in the minds of the selectors because some of the spinners who can bat, one of them is Washi and the other one is Krunal Pandya. Whether they pick two leg-spinners or whether they pick Washi also, we will have to wait and see,” the 55-year-old told Sportskeeda.

If the selectors want to play it safe, Krunal should be preferred over Sundar since the 21-year-old suffered a finger injury in July and has been ruled out of the UAE leg of the IPL as well. However, the COVID-19 situation might see India's bench strength rise, thus facilitating the travel of both Krunal and Sundar – the latter with a "subject to fitness" tag.

While there have been debates surrounding the chances of Ravichandran Ashwin making a comeback into India's T20 side, Sivaramakrishnan maintained that the 34-year-old is now a red-ball specialist and is even struggling to get gametime in Tests.

“His strength is Test match cricket. He is not playing Test match cricket either, so I think it’s highly doubtful he will be picked in the T20 team,” he concluded.

India have been slotted in Group 2 alongside Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan and two impending qualifiers from the preliminary round. Virat Kohli’s boys will kickstart their campaign on October 24 with a high-octane clash against their arch-rivals in Dubai.