IND vs SL 2022 | Team management should think about the replacement of R Ashwin, says Pragyan Ojha regarding Ashwin’s fitness

03/03/2022

Pragyan Ojha believes that the concern around Ravichandran Ashwin’s fitness still remains and the team management should think about a strong replacement as his absence while playing in India will be a big factor. He also added that Mohammed Siraj might get a chance to play in the opening Test.

India are all set to play a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. The first Test in Mohali will be played from March 4. The test will be the 100th Test for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will also start his journey as full-time Test captain. The team will look to replicate their performance from the limited over series against the same opposition.

Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Wriddhiman Saha and Ishant Sharma will miss the series. Ravichandran Ashwin has been included in the squad but is subject to fitness. He recently missed limited-overs series against West Indies and Sri Lanka. Former Indian cricketer Pragyan Ojha thinks that the team management should think about a strong replacement for R Ashwin as his fitness still remains a concern.

“The bowling unit is usually a pretty set pattern. But the question on Ashwin's fitness remains. If you see the squad, I think Bumrah will be playing, I think Siraj can also get a chance. My main concern is regarding Ashwin's fitness,” Ojha said on Cricbuzz.

"When you play in India, the way Ashwin has bowled here, his absence could prove to be a big factor. If he is fit, then well and good but if he is not, who will Team India play instead of him? That is something to think about," said the former spinner.

Team India spin attack includes Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jayant Yadav, and Sauarbh Kumar who received his maiden international call-up.