Ravichandran Ashwin replaces injured Axar Patel in India's ODI World Cup squad

India's seasoned offspinner, Ravichandran Ashwin, has secured his place in the final 15-man squad for the upcoming ODI World Cup, stepping in for the injured Axar Patel. Axar, initially part of the provisional squad, couldn't recover from a left quadriceps strain sustained during an Asia Cup match against Bangladesh on September 15. 37-year-old Ashwin is already in Guwahati for India's warm-up clash against England scheduled for September 30.

Ashwin's return to the ODI format was highlighted by his impactful performances during two of the three home ODIs against Australia. Displaying his full range of skills, he clinched four wickets in these matches, with an impressive 3 for 41 in the second ODI at Indore.

The inclusion of Ashwin bolsters the variety in India's spin attack, combining off-spin alongside Ravindra Jadeja's left-arm orthodox and Kuldeep Yadav's left-arm wrist spin. Earlier, with Axar in the squad, India only had 3 left-arm spin options in the squad.

Ahead of the Rajkot ODI, captain Rohit Sharma had high praise for Ashwin's capabilities, emphasising how his experience, in addition to his knack for performing under pressure, will be a vital asset for the side.

Ashwin will be making his third ODI World Cup appearance. He was also part of India's triumphant 2011 campaign and the 2015 edition held in Australia. Notably, he was absent from the 2019 edition roster, where India played with Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav.

The team management will be hoping for him to play a vital role during India's upcoming World Cup campaign.

India's World Cup squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (VC), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah

Also read: Like Australia in 2015 and England in 2019, can India win ODI World Cup 2023 as the No. 1 ranked team?