Senior Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin earned a shock recall to India’s T20 World Cup 2021 squad on Wednesday (September 8). Ashwin was named in the 15-member outfit announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Some familiar names like Shikhar Dhawan, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav were not considered for selection. However, the inclusion of Ashwin and the appointment of former captain MS Dhoni as the team’s mentor triggered a massive buzz among the cricket fans on social media.
Ashwin, who has 111 ODIs and 46 T20Is under his belt, last played white-ball cricket back in 2017. The offie has 52 T20I wickets to his credit at an impressive average of 22.94.
After getting selected for the national team, Ashwin took to Twitter and expressed his joy by writing an inspirational post. He shared the quote which he wrote on one of his house’s walls in 2017.
“2017: I wrote this quote down a million times in my diary before putting this up on the wall! Quotes that we read and admire have more power when we internalise them and apply in life. Happiness and gratitude are the only two words that define me now. #t20worldcup2021,” Ashwin wrote on the micro-blogging website.
2017: I wrote this quote down a million times in my diary before putting this up on the wall! Quotes that we read and admire have more power when we internalise them and apply in life.
Happiness and gratitude are the only 2 words that define me now.🙏 #t20worldcup2021 pic.twitter.com/O0L3y6OBLl
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) September 8, 2021
India chief selector Chetan Sharma revealed the reason behind Ashwin’s selection, stating that Tamil Nadu’s spinner good run in the IPL went in his favour.
“Ravichandran Ashwin has been playing in the IPL regularly. He has performed well there. When you go into the World Cup, you need an off-spinner; everyone has an idea that the wickets in the UAE will get slower as IPL will also be played there. Spinners will get assistance, so having an off-spinner holds the key. Washington Sundar is injured, and Ashwin is an asset to the team. He has performed well in the IPL, so that is why he has found a place for himself in the squad,” said Sharma in a virtual presser.
