"R Ashwin has won a lottery" - Reetinder Sodhi on the veteran spinner's selection for the ODI series vs South Africa

Reetinder Singh Sodhi believes R Ashwin is lucky to be back in the Indian team's scheme of things in the limited-overs format of the game.

Ashwin was out of the Indian white-ball setup for more than four years before making a comeback to the T20I fold at the T20 World Cup 2021. He has now been included in Team India's 18-member squad for the ODI series against South Africa.

During a discussion on India News, Reetinder Sodhi was asked about R Ashwin's surprise return to India's ODI squad, to which he responded:

"R Ashwin has won a lottery here. It felt his career was almost over, that he might announce his retirement; he has got a new lifeline. He is a performer; he has experience on his side."

The former India all-rounder, though, feels the selectors have taken the right call in picking R Ashwin, reasoning:

"Rahul Dravid, the team management and the selectors have shown faith in experience. It is right as well because this tour is not that easy."

Ashwin has picked up 150 wickets in 111 ODIs he has played for Team India. That includes six wickets in seven ODIs against South Africa, only one of which has come in the three 50-over games he has played in the Rainbow Nation.

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"Rohit Sharma feels you should have a wicket-taking option as a spinner" - Saba Karim on R Ashwin's selection

R Ashwin was reportedly selected in India's T20 World Cup squad based on Rohit Sharma's request

Saba Karim reckons Rohit Sharma's inclination towards wicket-taking spinners might have earned R Ashwin a recall to Team India's limited-overs side. He explained:

"I feel this is the new trend. It shows the sort of team Rohit Sharma wants to make. Rohit feels you should have a wicket-taking option as a spinner, who can take wickets in the middle overs. That is why I feel Rohit Sharma is backing R Ashwin at the moment."

Although Ashwin was part of Team India's T20 World Cup squad, he was ignored for the first two games against Pakistan and New Zealand, with Varun Chakravarthy preferred ahead of him.

In the five T20Is he has played since his return, the wily off-spinner has scalped nine wickets. He has been extremely stingy, having conceded an average of just 5.25 runs per over.