Indian spin maestro Ravichandran Ashwin’s sudden retirement call has not only taken several fans by surprise but also caused surprise for the Indian management, as India currently needs a player to replace the likes of the veteran spinner.
Ashwin has been an inevitable part of the Indian Test side since his debut in 2010. Ravi Ashwin, who played nearly 106 test matches for India, has the longest streak of test matches played without missing a single test at home for over a decade.
Ravichandran Ashwin went on to score 3500 runs and also picked up 537 wickets for India, being one of the most successful spinners cricket has ever witnessed. To match his legacy, India needs a player who can spin the ball on both sides while also possessing a wide variety of deliveries.
Currently, India still possesses the highly experienced all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and also budding heroes like Axar Patel and Washington Sundar.
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Players in contention for Ravi Ashwin’s role in the India Test side:
Shams Mulani
The Mumbai bowling all-rounder has been a great name in the Ranji Trophy over the last few seasons. Mulani is not only considered one of the finest spinners, as he bowls quality slow left-arm orthodox.
With more than 200 first-class wickets, Mulani is one of the finest options to replace Ashwin, especially when Mulani can be trustworthy with the bat, as he has quite a pile of runs scored in the Ranji Trophy, Irani Trophy, and the Duleep Trophy.
HS Dubey
Another Maharashtra-born left-arm spinner and the highest wicket-taker of the Ranji Trophy 2024 might also be a budding cricketer for the role; however, his relative inexperience makes him questionable for the role.
Dubey plays for Vidarbha in the Ranji Trophy and can be relatively efficient with the bat as well, though the 22-year-old still has a lot of cricket to play and a lot to prove.
Tanush Kotian
Kotian is another spinner in the Mumbai squad, as he bowls alongside Shams Mulani for the Mumbai team in the longest format of the game. Kohli is often seen batting for crucial knocks for the Mumbai side, rescuing them from tough situations.
Kotian, who is also an off-spinner, has picked 100 wickets in first-class cricket and can be a futuristic asset to the Indian side if he is considered for replacing Ravi Ashwin in the Indian side.
Nishant Sindhu
The young and dynamic 20-year-old Nishant Sindhu, who played in the U-19 World Cup alongside Yash Dhull and later represented India A as well as India’s emerging side, is already considered one of the finest all-rounders.
Though he is largely known for his hitting capabilities, he can be more of a better batter and can come in handy with his left-arm spin as well. However, considering Ashwin’s genius with the ball, Sindhu would still have to evolve himself while he has the opportunity to share the dressing room with the legendary Indian duo Jadeja and Ashwin.
Washington Sundar
Washington Sundar, who is already a part of the Indian side and played alongside others in the New Zealand home series, also opened for India in the Perth test. Sundar, who is known to be a stunning batter, can be the most ideal replacement considering his spin bowling abilities.
Sundar recently scored a Ranji Trophy hundred, which led to his selection to the Indian test side. Sundar showed how efficient he can be when tracks have considerate help for spinners.
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