"Don't Know What He Has Done Wrong": Sunil Gavaskar Fumes As Rohit Sharma Snubs R Ashwin

11.10.2023 - 09:25 sports.ndtv.com

After a convincing victory over Australia in their opening Cricket World Cup 2023 match, India made a big change in their playing XI for the second match, swapping Ravichandran Ashwin with Shardul Thakur in the team.

After India skipper Rohit Sharma announced the news at the time of toss, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar couldn't hide his frustration seeing Ashwin being sacrificed once again.

In a chat with the broadcaster, Gavaskar admitted that he isn't sure what Ashwin has done wrong to be in such a situation. In fact, Gavaskar also rued the absence of Mohammed Shami from India's playing XI, especially considering the fact that he had taken a hat-trick against the same team in 2019. "Once again Ashwin misses out, I don't know what he has done wrong.

He is used to being left out of the team. I thought what Shami had done against them (Afghanistan) in 2019, getting a hat-trick, he would get a go," Gavaskar said on Star Sports.

cricket India Cricket Team World Cup 2023 as Rohit Sharma Ravichandran Ashwin Star Sports Sunil Gavaskar Hashmatullah Shahidi Ibrahim Zadran Australia India Afghanistan

India captain Rohit Sharma confirmed that no change was made to the team's playing XI from the last match against New Zealand. As the Indian team geared up for the Cricket World Cup 2023 match against defending champions England, Ravichandran Ashwin remained on the bench, with the team management opting for three seamers and two spinners. There were suggestions that Ashwin could be included in the Indian team but the nature of the pitch and the conditions in Lucknow prompted Team India to go with an unchanged XI.

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