Ashwin Reveals Why He Was Padded Up

The Indian team outclassed Pakistan by four wickets in their opening game of the T20 World Cup against Pakistan at Melbourne Cricket Ground. It was Virat Kohli’s outstanding knock that helped India beat Pakistan. Ravichandran Ashwin hit the winning run on Sunday. He disclosed that he was ready with the pads on from the 3rd over itself to go and bat in the Powerplay.

Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, “I was padded up from the 3rd over itself, just to go as a powerplay enforcer if wickets fell early”.

“I could do my bit with the bat and take the team through. This was my thought in that situation,” he added.

The off-spinner also talked about the weather at the MCG. He said it was cold and he was running with Dinesh Karthik to stay warmed up.

“Rahul Dravid was sitting in front of me and I never moved an inch where I was sitting. Dinesh Karthik was padded up in that place. For that cold weather, we both went to the MCG hallway and kept running,” said Ashwin.

Ashwin also spoke about Kohli’s knock and said, “Virat Kohli, I really think some spirit went inside him that day. What a knock!”.

India will be locking horns against the Netherlands on Thursday at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

India squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami.