Sourav Ganguly had said that experiments with the T20 team would end after the Ireland series. According to him, Rahul Dravid would play only those players who are part of ICC T20 World Cup plans.
Cut to the present situation, and the national selectors are still in a mood to surprise everyone. Even Ganguly and Dravid have not spoken on the issue. R Ashwin, who didn’t play a T20I for long, was included in the side for a five-match series in West Indies.
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has been left baffled by the veteran’s inclusion. He has questioned the selectors’ plans after they recalled Ashwin after a long hiatus. The spinner has played just two T20Is for the Men in Blue since last year’s ICC T20 World Cup.
“Ravichandran Ashwin is back, and that’s an interesting choice. Why was he not there in the team for the last 8-10 months? Why was he sidelined?”
“If Ashwin was in the plans, he should have played against Sri Lanka and South Africa at home. You didn’t play him in the T20Is in England as well, although he was there in England. You could have played him.”