'I Don’t Understand': R Ashwin Questions Team India's Unorthodox Strategy For Champions Trophy 2025

Veteran Indian spinner R Ashwin vented his concern over Team India's decision to opt for a spin-heavy line-up for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The former India cricketer could not understand the BCCI's decision to include five spinners -- Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakravarthy and Washington Sundar -- in the CT squad, with the matches happening in the UAE.

R Ashwin Perplexed With Team India's Tactics For Champions Trophy

Team India's peculiar strategy to go ahead with a spin-heavy squad for the Champions Trophy has caused a lot of stir. The inclusion of Varun Chakravarthy in the team escalated the chatter as fans were wondering about the unconventional game plan for the marquee ICC tournament. R Ashwin was perplexed with the management's decision to include too many spinners in the line-up.

“What I don’t understand is the number of spinners we are taking to Dubai. Five spinners and we have made Yashasvi Jaiswal sit out. Yeah, I understand that we take three or four spinners for a tour. But five spinners in Dubai? I don’t know. I think we are one spinner too many if not two. The two left-arm spinners are your best all-rounders alongside Hardik Pandya. So both Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja are going to play. Hardik will also play and Kuldeep will play.

"If you want Varun Chakravarthy in the team, then you will have to make a pacer sit out and use Hardik as your second pacer. Else you will have to drop a spinner to bring in a third seamer,” R Ashwin said during the Ash ki Baat show in one of his videos on his YouTube channel.

Also Read: 'Learn To Play Without Bumrah': Harbhajan Singh Advises Team India To Focus Beyond Its Talisman For Champions Trophy 2025

Ashwin Upset Upon Yashasvi Jaiswal's Exclusion From CT Squad

Ashwin also spoke about the exclusion of Yashasvi Jaiswal from the tournament, as he was dropped to make space for Varun Chakravarthy's inclusion. The veteran expressed that he wouldn't have been in the position to explain the reasons to the young India star.

“I am honestly glad that I am not in a position of explaining things to Yashasvi Jaiswal. If I was the coach or captain then what will I even tell him? I raise this question many times that what are you messaging to a player? Yashasvi was bringing water for the players. I was thinking what would be going on in his mind? He would have been happy that he would be in the Champions Trophy team. And now suddenly he is not in the team. It’s the same for anybody who misses out,” Ashwin added.

Also Read: 'Still Can’t Believe How MS Dhoni Predicted': R Ashwin Decodes ex-CSK Skipper's Masterclass Which Led India To 2013 CT Title