NEW DELHI: Former cricketer Saba Karim weighed in on the much-discussed return of spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to India’s One Day International (ODI) squad. Karim’s insights shed light on the strategic thinking behind Ashwin’s inclusion and the significance of Shreyas Iyer‘s selection.
“I think Rohit Sharma looks at Ravichandran Ashwin as a match-winner and he’s very clear in the kind of approach he wants to portray in white ball cricket,” Karim told JioCinema.
Karim went on to explain that Rohit Sharma, India’s ODI captain, is keen on an aggressive approach, especially with the upcoming World Cup in mind. Ashwin’s presence in the squad is seen as a key component of this strategy. “He also knows that in his bowling lineup, he needs to have out of six, at least five wicket-taking options and if he has Ashwin in the eleven, then that attacking option is available,” Karim emphasised.
Furthermore, Karim highlighted that the other reserve players also share this attacking mindset, aligning with Sharma’s vision for aggressive gameplay.

“If you look at all the other players who are in the reserve – they all have that attacking mindset. So, I think Rohit Sharma wants to continue with this aggressive approach that we saw the Indian team play in the Asian challenge.”

On Shreyas Iyer’s selection, Karim expressed his satisfaction with the decision to persist with the talented batsman.
“I am glad that they are persisting with Shreyas Iyer. It really shows that the team management and selectors trust him so much,” he stated.

Karim underscored Iyer’s significant contributions to the one-day setup in the past. He further emphasised that Iyer’s form in the initial games should not be a major concern.
“You need to back players who have done well for you in the past,” Karim asserted.
He highlighted that Iyer has ample opportunities to showcase his abilities with three ODI games and two practice matches scheduled.
“The kind of player Shreyas Iyer is – I am pretty excited for him to get back into the fold and score runs at the right time for the Indian side,” Karim concluded, expressing his optimism about Iyer’s potential to make crucial contributions to the Indian team, especially as the World Cup draws closer.
(With inputs from IANS)