Ashwin available for Delhi Capitals' next game in IPL 2020 as Shreyas Iyer allays shoulder injury worries

Dubai, September 21: Ravichandran Ashwin bowled a brilliant over but had to walk off the field with a dislocated the shoulder while putting in a dive off his own bowling. But Delhi Capitals skipper Shreyas Iyer on Sunday (September 21) expressed optimism that the veteran off-spinner will be available as early as their next match.

Ashwin had dismissed Kings XI Punjab's Karun Nair and Nicholas Pooran in the only over he bowled in the IPL 2020 match to tilt the balance in favour of the Capitals. Karun had tried to sweep Ashwin but a top edge was snaffled by Prithvi Shaw in the deep and West Indian batsman Pooran was set up nicely by the Tamil Nadu man.

Ashwin deceived Pooran with an arm ball that slid through the batsman's defence to castle him. But at the end of that over he left the field with him arm on the sling accompanied by the Capitals physio. It had created a huge doubt over the nature of the injury and even on his further participation in the tournament.

After Capitals won the match via Super Over, Ashiwn came to accept an award with sling removed from around his arm. Capitals' captain Shreyas said the physio is monitoring Ashwin.

"It is up to the physio. But Ashwin said he is available for the next game. But credit to Ashwin as he changed the game in that one over he bowled," Shreyas said in the post-match presentation. Delhi Capitals will face Chennai Super Kings in their second match of the IPL 2020 on September 25, another former team of Ashwin.

Last year, Ashwin had captained Kings XI Punjab before migrating to Capitals for IPL 2020. Delhi Capitals' other spin options are Amit Mishra, the second highest wicket-taker in IPL behind Lasith Malinga, Nepali leggie Sandeep Lamichanne and left-arm spinner Axar Patel, who had a good match on Sunday.