India squad for Asia Cup 2023: Rohit Sharma reveals why Ravi Ashwin hasn't been selected

Rohit Sharma has opened up on leaving out Ravi Ashwin from India squad for Asia Cup 2023.

All the talks around India keeping an extra spinner for the Asia Cup 2023 have now settled as chief selector Ajit Agarkar and captain Rohit Sharma have announced the 17-member squad for the Asia Cup 2023. They have announced a 17-member squad, along with Sanju Samson, who will be travelling with the team as a backup option. Indian team management gave Kuldeep Yadav and two all-rounders, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja, responsibilities in the spin department and dropped Yuzvendra Chahal. Ashwin was also in contention for a place as a finger spinner but didn’t make it on the team.

Rohit explains the logic behind Ashwin's exclusion

Rohit has explained the decision not to keep Ravichandran Ashwin in the Asia Cup squad. Rohit said, "We had a deep discussion about an off-spinner and a leg-spinner as well. But see, things boil down to batting options at numbers 8 and 9. We wanted someone who could bat there". Rohit weighed on Axar Patel as an all-rounder who is a sound batter, along with Ravindra Jadeja. Rohit added, "Axar had a good run this year, did well in white-ball cricket... with him being there, it allows us to have options." 

Defending Ashwin’s exclusion from the team, Rohit added that having Axar allows the team to have the option of a left-hander as well as someone who can provide batting depth to the team. Rohit said, "It allows us to have the option of first having that left-hander who can go up and play the spinners, and then he creates for us that batting depth. We talked about Ashwin and Washington as well. As you saw, even Chahal missed out because we can only get 17 players in." Ashwin was in line for another comeback if the team had preferred a finger option for the Asia Cup.