Dinesh Karthik reveals who is front-runner for replacing R Ashwin

Former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik recently revealed the name of the off-spinner, who is the front-runner for Ravichandran Ashwin’s future replacement in the national team. 

The 37-year-old off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has made a huge impact on the Indian national cricket team for more than a decade. 

Ashwin is the second most wicket-taker for India in Test and international cricket. The off-spinner has taken 744 wickets in 281 international matches. After playing 100 Tests, Ashwin has picked up 516 wickets, including 36 fifers and eight ten-wicket hauls. 

Ashwin is still an important figure for the Indian Test team. While he dominates in sub-continent Tests, he also plays key supporting roles in the SENA countries. 

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India are definitely looking for a next-gen off-spinner: Dinesh Karthik

Ashwin’s former Indian and Tamil Nadu teammate Dinesh Karthik is observing the next generation of Indian off-spinners. Replacing Ashwin in the Indian team will be huge for the next generation of off-spinners.  

Talking about who can take the place of Ashwin in the future, Karthik talked about India’s experiment with three off-spinners during the England Lions tour of India in early 2024. 

Karthik said on Cricbuzz, “India are definitely looking for a next-gen off-spinner, as in last India ‘A’ series against England Lions, they tried three off-spinners in three matches: Pulkit Narang, Washington Sundar, and Saransh Jain.” 

During that three-match unofficial Test series, Saransh Jain picked up three wickets, while Washington Sundar and Pulkit Narang took two and one wickets, respectively. 

Washington Sundar is the front-runner behind Ravichandran Ashwin right now: Dinesh Karthik

Karthik feels that Washington Sundar is the front-runner to replace the off-spinner Ashwin in the Indian team. The former Indian wicketkeeper believes that Sundar has worked well in limited opportunities for the Indian team.

Karthik added, “They are trying out and Washington Sundar is the front-runner behind Ravichandran Ashwin right now. He’s done well in whatever limited opportunities he’s got and I feel he will get his due first before going to anybody else.” 

Sundar has played four Tests, 22 ODIs, and 49 T20Is for India, where the off-spinner has taken six, 23, and 44 wickets, respectively. 

Sundar is also a handy batter in the lower order. Apart from one half-century each in ODI and T20I formats, the left-handed batter has also scored three half-centuries in Test, where his batting average is 66.25. His best Test knock was 96 not out against England in the 2021 Ahmedabad Test. Earlier, in that same series, he scored 85 not out in the 2021 Chennai Test.

During the historic Gabba Test win in January 2021, Sundar scored crucial 62 runs during India’s first innings.