Tamil Nadu batsman Subramaniam Badrinath has said that Ravichandran Ashwin can use the Indian Premier League as a platform to make his comeback in the national limited-overs side. Ashwin, who will lead Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2018, hasn’t featured in a limited-overs game for India since July 2017.
“I’ve played a lot of cricket with him. I know him as a person, as a friend. He’ll be looking to do something, he will be looking at this as a challenge,” Badrinath quoted as saying by PTI.
“I think captaincy will give him that edge, a motivation to do something extra. You never know maybe he can lead Kings XI to a title, with an extraordinary season and his name will start coming up in the limited overs cricket,” he added.
Considering the way India’s wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal have become the architects of India’s awe-inspiring show in ODI cricket of late, things look rather bleak for Ashwin for the next year’s World Cup in England. It is worth mentioning here that the Men in Blue have lost just 5 ODIs in their last 26 one-day internationals since last year's Champions Trophy.
“I don’t think it would have come at a better time for him. He’s at that stage of his career, where he should look beyond his own cricket. Not just performing as a bowler, but what can he do more,” Badrinath said.
“It’s a great opportunity and has come at a right time. knowing him, he will look to take this up as a challenge. It’s not going to be easy but he will be up for it,” he elaborated.
In the 10-year long history of the tournament, KXIP have qualified only twice in the playoffs. It will be interesting to see how the combination of new players will fare under the leadership of Ashwin in this season of IPL.
Meanwhile, Badrinath picked Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders as the two best teams for this year’s tournament.
“KKR and CSK are probably the best franchises, as far as teams go, I can vouch for that. Only time can tell what will happen going into the tournament,” he opined.
“Coming back after two years will wont be easy. But CSK have players who have been with the past. It would not be a new team altogether even though they are coming back after a break. In Ravindra Jadeja, Suresh Raina, Dwayne Bravo, the core group is the same. They will be able to gel,” he explained.
Dinesh Karthik recently grabbed headlines for his last-ball six that won India the final of Nidahas Trophy against Bangladesh. When asked to draw a parallel between Dhoni and Karthik, Badrinath said: “Dhoni is a brand on his own. He’s the best wicketkeeper. I don’t think you can ever compare Dhoni and Karthik. It’s not fair. MS is a special cricketer, he’s a legend.
“But the innings will definitely help Karthik. He will carry that confidence. He’s been playing well for last couple of years. It’s about how he manages the team.
