Ashwin Should Be Made Captain For Asian Games: Dinesh Karthik

Chennai (Tamil Nadu): Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik said that spin bowling all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin should be made the captain of the Indian team for the upcoming Asian Games.

Asian Games will take place in China this year from September 23 to October 8, 2023. Cricket will be featured in the multi-sport event. “I genuinely wish that they make him (Ravichandran Ashwin) the captain of team India for the Asian Games…He (Ashwin) is a great cricketer considering the number of wickets he picked up and the number of man of the series he has done..,” Karthik said at an event.

Ashwin has played 270 international matches for India, in which he has picked up 697 wickets. He has also scored 4,020 runs at an average of 24.21 with five centuries and 14 fifties. His most successful format is Test cricket. In 92 matches, he has scored 3,129 runs at an average of 26.97, with five centuries and 13 fifties and taken 474 wickets. He is one of the most successful spinners in Indian cricket and cricket history in general. He has won 10 ‘Man of the Series’ awards in Tests, second-most by any player.

Karthik, a keeper-batter, said that for Asia Cup this year, the wicketkeeping options are going to be either Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul or Sanju Samson, with KL Rahul being a frontrunner.

“The choice (for wicket keeping) in the Asia Cup is between three, considering Rishabh Pant is not fit, It is going to be a toss-up for Ishan Kisan, Sanju Samson and KL Rahul. I think KL Rahul is the frontrunner if he is fit, followed by Sanju and Kishan…,” said Karthik.

Shikhar Dhawan is likely to lead team India at Asian Games 2023. However, the decision has not been finalised, according to BCCI sources.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had agreed to send the men’s and women’s teams first time to the Asian Games 2023 which will be held in China.

Asian Games does not come under International Cricket Council (ICC) and will not be recognised in International cricket.

Apart from domestic cricket, the India Women’s Cricket Team won’t have any other commitments in September.

The Indian women’s team participated in the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham.