3 young Indian prospects who might replace Ravichandran Ashwin in the T20I team

In an unfamiliar piece of news before the 20-20 World Cup 2022, the legendary Test all-rounder of India, Ravichandran Ashwin was included in the squad for the eighth edition of the marquee tournament. Furthermore, it was quite shocking for most of the people in the Indian cricketing fraternity when skipper Rohit Sharma and Indian management avoided their first-choice spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and brought Aswhin to the playing XI of all the matches India played in the 2022 edition of the 20-20 World Cup.

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The 36-year-old could scalp only three wickets in the entire tournament while playing for the men in blue. So, considering that, Indian management might give it think to replace the Chennai veteran with a young prospect who can produce some more productive performances for the Indian team in the shortest format of the game.

With said that, here we’ll have a look at three young Indian cricketers who might replace the veteran of more than 400 Test wickets when it is about to feature in the quickest format of the game.

1. Washington Sundar

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The young all-rounder Washington Sundar plays in the same state that Ravichandran Ashwin represents in domestic cricket. The 23-year-old made his T20I debut for the Indian team five years back in the year 2017. Since then, Washy has played 31 T20Is for India and scalped 25 wickets with an economy rate of 7.24.

The young prodigy has proved his worth for the Indian team on a couple of occasions. He has also been switched in and out of the team due to injury concerns. As the southpaw recently appeared in county cricket so the Indian selectors might count on him if they make up their minds to replace Ravichandran Ashwin in the T20 internationals.

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2. Rahul Chahar

The Rajasthan-born leggie, Rahul Chahar played his last T20I for India in last year’s 20-20 World Cup. Since then, he hasn’t gotten a chance in the national cricket team of India at the highest level of the game in T20 internationals. The 23-year-old has played only six T20Is for India and scalped seven wickets.

But apart from that, he has delivered some brilliant performances in the domestic circuit of Indian cricket. Chahar has scalped 106 wickets in 91 T20s. As a senior all-rounder, Ashwin is nearing 40 so Rahul Chahar might be a perfect replacement for the former in the shortest format of the game for the Indian team in T20Is.

3. Krishnappa Gowtham

The veteran of domestic cricket, Krishnappa Gowtham made his first appearance in T20s at the domestic level 11 years back in the year 2011. Since then, he has scalped played 79 T20 matches and claimed 62 scalps to his name with an economy rate of 7.19. The 34-year-old Bangalore off-spinner has also delivered some remarkable performances in the Indian T20 League while playing for different franchises.

The veteran of only an ODI for India might be considered as a like-to-like replacement for Ashwin as he can fit in the role of an off-spin all-rounder, the very role in which the management is considering the 36-year-old in the playing XI of team India in the T20Is.