Dinesh Karthik calls Ravichandran Ashwin's omission from WTC final one of India's biggest regrets

Dinesh Karthik, who is doing commentary in Ashes 2023, believes that Team India leaving out World No. 1 Test bowler Ravichandran Ashwin was one of the biggest mistakes that cost them the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final in June.

The reaction came as the wicketkeeper-batter lauded Australia for bringing in off-spinner Todd Murphy for the fifth and final Ashes Test at Kennington Oval in London on Thursday, July 27.

For the uninitiated, India lost the WTC final by 209 runs. It was their second consecutive loss in the final. They picked all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja as the only spinner in that game. The left-arm bowler scalped four wickets and scored 48 runs.

In that game, Ashwin’s Australian counterpart Nathan Lyon, another off-spinner, took five wickets, including a four-wicket haul.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Dinesh Karthik said:

“Todd Murphy coming in, we know the pitch is dry, Nathan Lyon has done well in Oval over a period of time. So, the obvious change.”

He continued:

“(On Ashwin’s omission from WTC final) I think you should let that go, but I think, ‘Yes, they do’. When they look back at it, that’s one of the biggest regrets they could have.”

Ashwin was last seen in action during the two-Test series in West Indies. The 36-year-old emerged as the highest wicket-taker with 15 scalps, including two five-wicket hauls.

---

Australia opt to bowl against England in fifth Ashes Test

Australian captain Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to field in the ongoing fifth Ashes Test. The visitors dropped all-rounder Cameron Green, with off-spinner Todd Murphy as the solitary change.

Ben Stokes and Co., on the other hand, had already announced their playing XI on the eve of the fifth Test with no changes to their playing XI.

---

England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Moeen Ali, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jonny Bairstow (w), Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, James Anderson

Australia XI: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (w), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Josh Hazlewood, Todd Murphy

Australia are leading the five-match Ashes series 2-1. They retained the urn after the fourth Test ended in a draw due to persistent rain on the last two days.

Click here to follow the ENG vs AUS 5th Test live score updates.