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Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has expressed his belief that India's spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is eager to seize an opportunity in the upcoming ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 match against Bangladesh. India is scheduled to face Bangladesh in their fourth World Cup match at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Thursday, October 19.
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In an exclusive interview with India Today, Gavaskar suggested the possibility of Ashwin being included in the playing XI, potentially replacing Shardul Thakur for the match against Bangladesh. Notably, Ashwin has featured in just one game in the 2023 World Cup, where he played a crucial role by taking the wicket of Cameron Green, helping India secure a six-wicket victory against Australia in Chennai.
"There could be a possibility of that happening (Ashwin playing against Bangladesh). If Shardul Thakur gets a breather, Ashwin could come in, keeping in mind the left-handers in the Bangladesh team," said Gavaskar.
Gavaskar highlighted that Ashwin is a top-quality bowler who is eager for the opportunity to contribute to the team's success. With 156 wickets in 116 ODI matches for India, Ashwin brings a wealth of experience and skill to the squad.
"With Ashwin, it's not just that he bowls only to left-handers, he is a top bowler, he bowls well to right-handers as well. He is a great bowler. He can operate on pitches that don't generally assist the spinners. I think he is raring to be given an opportunity," Gavaskar added.
The former cricketer, who was part of the 1983 World Cup-winning team, praised India's fearless approach in the ongoing World Cup and emphasized that Bangladesh will need to counter this fearless attitude to have a chance of defeating India in Pune. India enters the match against Bangladesh with a strong track record, having won three consecutive games in the World Cup 2023.
"The way the Indian team has been playing, the way Indian team has been showing resilience. More than anything else, I think the initiative and the fearlessness that the Indian team has been showing. That's been so good to see. That is something that Bangladesh will have to counter," said Gavaskar.
While India aims to maintain its winning streak in the tournament, Bangladesh will be determined to bounce back after facing defeats against England and New Zealand. The clash between these two teams promises to be an exciting contest in the World Cup.
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