"He is going to be a very dangerous bowler" - Robin Uthappa backs Ravichandran Ashwin ahead of World Cup 2023

Former India batter Robin Uthappa believes veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will definitely be part of India's World Cup 2023 squad if all-rounder Axar Patel fails to get fit in time.

Uthappa opined that Ashwin will prove very effective in the spin-friendly Indian conditions. Lauding the seasoned campaigner for his impressive ODI comeback, here's what he said on his YouTube channel:

"It certainly seems like Ashwin will be the number-one pick if India miss out Axar Patel. With his experience in India, he is going to be a very dangerous bowler. He got an outside chance, and he is a high-quality player who brings out his best performances in such situations. From not being selected in the World Cup squad to deceiving batters in the Australia series, Ashwin has done exceptionally well."

Ravichandran Ashwin featured in the first two games of India's ongoing three-match home ODI series against Australia and picked up four wickets. He was replaced by Washington Sundar for the third fixture.

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"Shardul Thakur could be a concern for Team India" -Robin Uthappa

Speaking in the video, Robin Uthappa suggested that Shardul Thakur's recent form could be a cause for concern for India ahead of the World Cup 2023.

He opined that while the pacer has the knack for taking wickets, he can prove costly at times. Uthappa explained:

"Shardul Thakur could be a concern for Team India. Yes, he picks up wickets and is a high-quality bowler, but he leaks a lot of runs. He can be very expensive. That's something that he will have to pay attention to. He is someone who is always going to take wickets, but when he doesn't take wickets, he ends up looking a little expensive. In CSK, we used to fondly call him the golden arm. I am certain that his role will be very similar for the Indian team."

Shardul Thakur struggled to get going in the first two ODIs of the series against Australia. He remained wicketless and finished with an underwhelming economy rate of 8.07.