
Veteran India batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes Ravichandran Ashwin could be the right choice for the position of coach of the Indian team in the future. Speaking during an ESPNcricinfo Q&A session, Pujara named Ashwin as his choice for the role of coach, highlighting the off-spinner’s deep tactical knowledge and sharp cricketing brain.
Ashwin ended his international career during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Brisbane. Over 14 years, he played 106 Tests, 116 ODIs and 65 T20Is for India. He has taken 765 wickets — 537 in Tests, 156 in ODIs and 72 in T20Is. Apart from his bowling, the spin-bowling all-rounder also contributed with the bat, scoring 4,394 runs across formats.
The 38-year-old has also been a key player in the Indian Premier League. Ashwin has been part of five different franchises. In 221 matches, the off-spinner has taken 187 wickets at an economy rate of 7.20.
Former India coach Rahul Dravid has also praised Ashwin in the past. At a TNCA event, Dravid called him “one of a kind” and said he had taken spin bowling forward with “hard work, dedication and innovation.”
Though he has retired from international cricket, Ashwin still actively plays professional cricket. His most recent outing was in the Tamil Nadu Premier League, where he captained the Dindigul Dragons and finished the tournament as the fifth highest run-scorer and third highest wicket-taker. The Dragons eventually finished the tournament as runners-up.
Earlier, he had an underwhelming season with Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. Ashwin’s future with the franchise remains uncertain amid rumours of a possible release ahead of the auction.
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