Rohit Sharma will back performers even the ones who were ignored by former skipper Virat Kohli. R Ashwin, who has been phenomenal for Team India, had failed to find a place in the limited-overs teams.
However, Ashwin’s performance in the Indian Premier League forced the selectors to include him in the ICC T20 World Cup squad and since then the veteran has not looked back.
Rohit, who is India’s new limited-overs skipper has categorically stated that Ashwin is here to stay as far as ODIs ans T20Is are concerned.
“Ashwin will give you that flexibility, you can use him in the powerplay or the middle over, so having a bowler like that – an all-rounder bowler I’d like to call – who can bowl anytime and anywhere in whatever situation, is always important,” Sharma was quoted as saying while speaking to journalist Boria Majumdar on ‘Backstage with Boria’.
Rohit said Ashwin is a great addition to the squad.
“You don’t want one-dimensional bowlers where you know he can only bowl outside powerplay, he cannot bowl in the death, can only bowl to right-handers, can only bowl to left-handers. The more options you have with bowlers the better, that’s what I felt,” he stated.
“I thought he’d be a great addition, and I think he’s here to stay. He’s definitely here to stay,” the Indian ODI captain added.