Ricky Ponting, the former captain of the Australian cricket team, has expressed his disappointment with Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid for excluding Ravichandran Ashwin from India’s bowling attack in the WTC Final against Australia.
Ponting believes that India’s decision seems to be focused solely on the first innings, overlooking the threat Ashwin could pose to Australia’s left-handed batsmen.
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“India have made a mistake by not selecting R Ashwin. It appears they are only considering the first innings. Ashwin would have been more challenging for the left-handers compared to Ravindra Jadeja,” Ponting commented during the Star Sports broadcast.
Addressing the decision, Indian captain Rohit Sharma stated, “Leaving out R Ashwin was not an easy choice, but we have to prioritize the team’s interests while considering the prevailing conditions.”
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Former Indian player Sachin Tendulkar had also advised for Ashwin’s inclusion against Pat Cummins’ team, but the team management had a different perspective on the matter.