R Ashwin is not having the best of the time when it comes to cricket to seems. The ace off-spinner was snubbed from the playing XI of Team India for the first Test against West Indies in Antigua, despite having a stellar record against the opposition with both the bat and the ball.
Ravindra Jadeja was preferred over him, with Hanuma Vihari being the second spinner. However, this has seemingly gotten worse for the Tamil Nadu player, as a fresh development has suggested that Ashwin may lose his captaincy in the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) side in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Not only is he set to lose his captaincy, but the franchise is also planning to trade him to other teams as well, as they are negotiating with a couple of teams to trade him. The deal is likely to be closed in a week’s time when the franchise board meets.
As per reports in Ahmedabad Mirror, Delhi Capitals have expressed interest to take the 32-year-old 65-Test veteran but it is not still known if there will be a trade or a direct purchase. Also, on the KXIP table is a trade offer with Rajasthan Royals who want to swap him for Krishnappa Gowtham.
Ashwin won’t be hit much financially, but if he gets traded to Delhi, he will play under Shreyas Iyer, who led them to playoffs in IPL 2019 and if Rajasthan Royals get Ashwin, he will be plying his trade under the leadership of Steve Smith.
It seems that the Delhi franchise is pushing for the trade, as they think his style of bowling will be lethal on the slow, turning pitch at Feroz Shah Kotla. Ashwin played 28 matches for KXIP and had 25 wickets (overall 125 wickets in 139 IPL games) but his failure to take the side to the play-offs has become his undoing. The KXIP are planning to appoint KL Rahul as their skipper.
KXIP is also in the market for a new coach after they parted ways with Mike Hesson. Geroge Bailey, their former captain, and Darren Lehmann, who won the IPL as a coach with Deccan Chargers in 2009, are the chief contenders, as some other Australian players have shown interest in the coach role in the franchise.
(Ahmedabad Mirror inputs)
