Ashwin gets 50-over lifeline, named India ‘A’ team captain for Deodhar Trophy

Out of favour in Indian team’s limited overs set-up, senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Tuesday got a lifeline as national selection committee named him captain of the India ‘A’ team for the Deodhar Trophy, scheduled to be held in Dharamsala from March 4-8.

Shreyas Iyer is the captain of the India ‘B’ team while the third team in the tournament are Vijay Hazare Champions Karnataka led by Karun Nair.

Ashwin is one of the prominent selection in Deodhar Trophy as most of the others are performers in the just-concluded National One Day Championships.

Among the victorious U-19 World Cup team, Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw have been included in the India A side.

With finger spinners not in priority at the moment, Ashwin’s performance in the Deodhar Trophy will be keenly monitored even though chances of an ODI comeback at the moment is pretty remote.

The selectors also included speedsters Umesh Yadav, who didn’t get a single game during India’s tour of South Africa. Having dropped in the pecking order behind Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shardul Thakur, Umesh will have a point to prove during the tournament. Mohammed Shami has also been included.

Meanwhile, the selectors also picked up Rest of India team which will take on Vidarbha in the Irani Cup in Nagpur from March 14-18.

Karun Nair, despite his inconsistent form has been named the captain and the team also has young Shaw, Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran, Delhi pacer Navdeep Saini among others.

However, the two speedsters Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi have not been picked. in any of the three squads.