Ravichandran Ashwin addresses apparent lack of 2023 World Cup "excitement," remembers old printed fixtures

Recalling the printed "small calendar-type" fixtures for previous World Cups, Ravichandran Ashwin said on Saturday the excitement for the 2023 edition will kick in when the Asia Cup starts on August 31. He also said that social media is good to get more people involved in the marquee tournament.

Ashwin's remarks came in reply to a tweet by Gurkirat Singh Gill, who felt that unlike in 2011 and 2016, when India hosted the men's 50-over and T20 World Cups respectively, there's not much "excitement and vibe" this time except on social media.

"It’s a bit too early and I am sure it will kick in once the Asia cup begins," Ashwin tweeted in reply. "The World Cup fixtures used to come out in small calendar type prints and I used to take it to school to discuss India’s games. Happening on Social media now and that’s a good thing cos more people can get involved."

Some observers, who also replied to Gill's tweet, believe that the excitement for the World Cup hasn't been helped by the delayed release and the change in the World Cup fixtures. Information regarding the sale of tickets was also disclosed only when there was less than two months to go for the first match on October 5.

There's not been much marketing around the World Cup either. The promotional video released by the International Cricket Council (ICC) was also criticized by many as non-representative and discriminatory.

"The exciting part about Tilak Varma is that he is a left-hander" - Ravichandran Ashwin

Although a bit estranged from the ODI setup himself, Ashwin has been in the thick of things as a pundit on YouTube and Twitter.

Recently commentating on one of the hottest topics -- should Tilak Varma get a chance? -- he opined that Sanju Samson could be an option but Tilak, who is yet to make his ODI debut, is an "exciting" option because he's a left-hander.

“This is neck-and-neck with respect to the World Cup," Ashwin said. "So, will they think about Tilak Varma as an option if we don’t have enough backups? Because Sanju Samson has performed really well in ODIs."

"But the exciting part about Tilak Varma is that he is a left-hander, and Team India is lacking left-handers. Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja) is the only left-handed batter in the top 7," he added.

Many believe India need to look for a number four quickly given the concerns that KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer might not be able to make it to the World Cup.