Virender Sehwag believes R Ashwin may go unsold at the IPL mega auction next season.© BCCI
Former Indian batsman Virender Sehwag has expressed concern over the form of veteran spin-bowling all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Ashwin has struggled to pick wickets in IPL 2024, managing just two scalps in eight matches, and has also leaked more than nine runs per over. Despite his struggles, Ashwin recently claimed that taking wickets in T20s is irrelevant. Reacting to his comment, Sehwag slammed Ashwin and said the veteran might remain unsold at the auction next season.
“This is the same as when KL Rahul said that strike rate doesn't matter. Same. He said it for batting, Ashwin said it for bowling that it doesn't matter if you get the wickets. If his stats If you are a bowler chooses, do you expect him to give away 25-30 runs, or do you expect him to give you wickets and be man of the match two or three times?” Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.
Sehwag criticized Ashwin for his mentality and pointed out that his colleagues – Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav – are picking and choosing at regular intervals.
“All his competitors – Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav or whoever – get the wickets. He thinks if he bowls off spin, everyone will hit him. That's why he bowls his carrom bowl, and that's why he doesn't get wickets. Maybe he can bag more wickets if he believes in his off-spin or boxra. But that's his mentality. But if I was a mentor or coach of a franchise, I wouldn't think like that, runs and don't take wickets, he won't get a place in the team,” he added.
Despite Ashwin's poor form, his franchise RR are at the top of the IPL 2024 points table with 16 points from nine matches.
RR need a win in their next match, against SunRisers Hyderabad, to qualify for the play-offs.
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