Ravichandran Ashwin has shared his thoughts on India’s decision to take five spinners to the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This choice comes after Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out, leading the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to replace him with Harshit Rana.
Another notable change in the squad was the exclusion of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was replaced by the in-form Varun Chakravarthy, fresh off his ODI debut against England. Currently, India’s spin department includes Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, and Kuldeep Yadav. In a discussion on his YouTube channel, Ashwin expressed his confusion about the team’s heavy reliance on spinners for the tournament in Dubai.
He stated that both Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja are vital to the team as they are among India’s top all-rounders. According to Ashwin, if Varun Chakravarthy is to be included in the playing XI, then one of the fast bowlers will likely have to be left out, suggesting that Hardik Pandya might need to step in as the second pacer.
Ashwin said, “I’m not quite sure why we’re taking five spinners to Dubai. Typically, we take three or four, but five seems excessive. With Jaiswal out, I feel we’re carrying too many spinners. Axar and Jadeja will definitely play, and Kuldeep is a certainty as well. If Varun is included, a pacer might need to sit out, or we could drop a spinner to add a third seamer.”
When asked about the playing conditions in Dubai, Ashwin expressed his doubts about how much the conditions would favor spin bowling. He is confident that Kuldeep Yadav will secure a spot in the playing XI, which raises questions about Varun’s inclusion. He remarked, “Will the conditions support spin? I’m a bit uneasy with our current approach to this.”
As preparations continue, India is set to kick off their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh on February 20.
