"I don't see Ashwin playing on that surface" - Sanjay Manjrekar sees Shardul Thakur or Mohammed Shami playing if IND vs AFG is played on a flat pitch

Sanjay Manjrekar doesn't see Ravichandran Ashwin figuring in India's playing XI in their World Cup 2023 clash against Afghanistan if the game is played on a flat surface.

The two sides lock horns at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Wednesday, October 11. The last game at the venue saw South Africa post a mammoth total of 428-5, with Sri Lanka responding with 326.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Manjrekar was not in favour of Ashwin being played as the third spinner, explaining:

"My view is that unless there is a compelling reason, I don't like Hardik Pandya as your third seamer. I think he also feels the pressure if he is the third seamer."

The former India batter added:

"What is likely to happen is that if the pitch is similar to the one that we had in that South Africa-Sri Lanka game, which was a belter, there was nothing there for the spinners, I don't see Ashwin playing on that surface."

Manjrekar sees either Shardul Thakur or Mohammed Shami replacing the off-spinner in the playing XI:

"India will add more batting depth unless they feel that they will get in pace quality against Afghanistan on this flat pitch. But they have shown their cards very early coming into the World Cup.

"They are not very keen to go one batter short. Shardul Thakur or Mohammed Shami is the change that I see if that's the exact same surface that we get in Delhi."

Ashwin was included in India's World Cup squad as a last-minute injury replacement for Axar Patel. The wily spinner registered figures of 1-34 in 10 overs in India's six-wicket win in their World Cup opener against Australia.

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"I was very surprised they didn't play Shami in the first game" - Simon Doull on whether India will persist with R Ashwin

Mohammed Shami wasn't part of India's playing XI against Australia. [P/C: AP]

Fomer New Zealand seamer Simon Doull opined that Mohammed Shami should replace R Ashwin in India's playing XI:

"I was very surprised they didn't play Shami in the first game. I know (Mohammed) Siraj is gun and (Jasprit) Bumrah is there, but I still think Shami is one of the better seamers in the world at the moment.

"So, it's a great problem to have for them. I just wonder on the smaller ground whether the spinner might be left out for a seamer."

Shami picked up four wickets, including a hat-trick, in India's 2019 World Cup clash against Afghanistan. However, he's unlikely to feature in the XI for Wednesday's game if Rohit Sharma and Co. want to have a bowler who can wield the willow effectively at No. 8.