India vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah said Ravichandran Ashwin is developing well and looking good in the training session, hinting the veteran off-spinner will take part in the first Test of a two-game series against Sri Lanka in Mohali, which begins on June 4. March begins. Ashwin, who last represented India in the ODI series against South Africa last month, has been ruled out of the limited overs series against West Indies due to an unknown injury.
Notably, Ashwin trained rigorously in the nets at the IS Bindra PCA International Stadium alongside several members of the Indian men’s Test cricket team. Ashwin had reached Mohali 10 days before the 1st Test against Sri Lanka. The Indian team will play the first friendly of the series in Mohali from March 4-8 before moving to Bengaluru for the second friendly.
“Ashwin is developing well. No complaints. He looked good and gave everything in training today. Batted, bowled and made fielding. Hopefully there won’t be any problems,” Jasprit Bumrah told reporters in a virtual interaction ahead of the Test series against Sri Lanka.
Ashwin has won 430 wickets from 84 Tests and ranks just behind Kapil Dev (434) and Anil Kumble in the list of India’s highest wicket-takers in the longest format. Ashwin has picked 300 of his 430 Test wickets on Indian soil and holds the record for the fastest bowler to pick 300 Test wickets in 54 games.
Rohit Sharma’s first test as captain will also herald a new era for India’s middle class as Shubman Gill and Hanuma Vihari are all poised to replace veterans Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane in the long term.
India’s Test squad against Sri Lanka: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Priyank Panchal, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), KS Bharat, Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, R. Ashwin (subject to eligibility clearance) , Kuldeep Yadav, Saurabh Kumar, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohd. Shami, Jasprit Bumrah (Vice Captain).
