Former English off-spinner Graeme Swann feels that R Ashwin is a big-time player for Team India and can turn up in the must-win clash against New Zealand in ICC T20 World Cup 2021. 

Team India’s loss against Pakistan in their first match of the T20 World Cup campaign has invited criticism regarding the selection of the team. After displaying a poor batting performance against arch-rivals, the Virat Kohli-led side failed to take even a single Pakistani wicket. 

Questions regarding the selection of ‘unfit’ Hardik Pandya and the non-inclusion of R Ashwin in playing XI have been raised after Men in Blue were clueless against the Pakistani batters. 

However with Team India set to clash against New Zealand in a must-win encounter on 31st October, there are a lot of speculations about whether Virat Kohli brings in a few changes or sticks with an unchanged XI.

Speaking about the same, former England off-spinner Graeme Swann said that he would love to see R Ashwin play. He suggested that the premier spinner can play in place of Hardik Pandya or any one of the seamers. 

"I would love to see Ashwin play, personally. I don’t think it’s about three spinners playing. Who he plays in place of – probably one of the seamers or Hardik Pandya if he is not going to bowl. Yes, Shardul Thakur is also an option," Graeme Swann told Cricket.com. 

Swann lauded R Ashwin as a brilliant bowler and said that with the number of variations he has he is a ‘big-time player’, who can turn up and perform in a must-win game. 

"I am very biased towards spin so I would like to see R Ashwin in. He is a brilliant bowler. Got a lot of variations and is a big-time player. He can really turn up and perform in a must-win game," he said. 

Notably, R Ashwin played both the warmup games against England and Australia. While he bowled an economical spell against the Eoin Morgan-led side, the premier spinner claimed 2/8 against Australia. 

(Cricket.com inputs)