"We are just making this pressure" - R Ashwin's blunt take on AUS vs IND 2025 ODI series

Spin legend Ravichandran Ashwin expressed that there was no pressure on India to bounce back in the second ODI. The Men in Blue are playing a three-match series Down Under. They lost the first game and are now in a must-win position to stay alive in the series.

However, Ashwin bluntly stated that India must only look at these games from the perspective of preparing for the 2027 ODI World Cup. He reckoned that they should use these bilateral series as a platform to experiment and better their skills.

"There is no pressure on India. We are just making this pressure. In my view, these ODI games are only happening on two fronts. We need two fast bowlers who will travel to South Africa. They are fixed. I think it will be Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. The third seamer could be Arshdeep. The selection battle is between Harshit and Prasidh, or someone could come in from the outside, depending on the IPL. Kuldeep Yadav is fixed. The other conundrum is if they want to look at Varun," he said on 'Ash ki Baat'.

"The second one is whether Rohit and Kohli will get to the 2027 World Cup. Otherwise India should just see to experiment in these bilateral series. In terms of combination and upgrading their skill," he added.

The Men in Blue scored 136/9 from 26 overs in the first game, which was shortened due to rain. Australia chased the total down comfortably in 21.1 overs with seven wickets to spare.

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India can get past Australia, believes Ashwin

Despite the opening defeat, Ashwin believed that India could beat Australia in the second game. The second ODI will be played on Thursday, October 23, in Adelaide. He backed the visitors to get past the hosts, keeping certain factors in mind.

More importantly, Ashwin reckoned that they must look to play good cricket and look to prepare for the World Cup. He also expressed to see Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli back in form.

"If the conditions and rain stays away and the toss is not a big factor, India has enough to get past this Australian team. The mindset should only be to try and play excellent cricket, get out of your comfort zone, get past everything and prepare for the World Cup. I would want Rohit and Kohli to get to form. That should be the priority. Do whatever it takes," he said.

Rohit and Kohli returned to international cricket in the first ODI. They donned the blue jersey for the first time since the 2025 Champions Trophy. However, it was not an ideal comeback for either as they failed to get going.