Manjrekar doesn't see any role for Ashwin in T20s

Bengaluru, October 15: Ravichandran Ashwin has been in the news ever since he earned a surprise call to India's ICC T20 World Cup 2021 squad.

The Tamil Nadu off-spinner did not have a good Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 season, with his Delhi Capitals (DC) franchise going down to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in a nail-biting Qualifier 2 in which it was Ashwin who bowled the decisive last over as he ended the tournament with just seven wickets from the 13 games he featured.

He was also involved an altercation with KKR skipper Eoin Morgan during DC's group tie in IPL 2021.

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Ashwin and Morgan were involved in a heated exchange after the former was dismissed by Tim Southee in the last over of the DC innings in the group stage match held at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

And as the raging debate over whether Ashwin merits a place in India's starting XI against Pakistan (their first match in ICC T20 World Cup 2021 on October 24) continues, former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar gave his opinion on the matter clearly saying the 35-year-old does not fit into the T20 scheme of things.

"We have spent far too much talking about Ashwin. Ashwin, the T20 bowler, is not a great force in any team. And if you want Ashwin to change, I don't think that's going to happen because he's been like this for the last five-seven years.

"I can understand us dwelling on Ashwin in Test matches where he's fantastic. Him not playing a single Test match in England was a travesty. But to spend so much time on Ashwin when it comes to IPL and T20 cricket," Manjrekar was quoted as saying on ESPNCricinfo website.

Manjrekar, who in the past has come under the scanner for his outspoken comments against some of the Indian players including Ravindra Jadeja, continued his tirade against Ashwin.

"I think he has shown us in the last five years that he's bowled exactly the same and I would never have somebody like Ashwin in my team because if I got turning pitches, I would expect people like Varun Chakravarthy or Sunil Narine or Yuzvendra Chahal and how they do their job, they get you wickets," added Manjrekar.

The Mumbaikar went on say that no franchise will want him in T20 cricket anymore.

"Ashwin has not been a wicket taker in T20 cricket for long and I don't think a franchise wants Ashwin in the team just to keep the runs down," he concluded.