Someone who's taken a lot in his stride

Ashwin is not just back in the reckoning forwhite-ball cricket but also among the leading lights being lined up for global glory

- PULAKESH MUKHOPADHYAY

Sources in the Board of Control for Cricket in India say that the squad for the third One-Day International against Australia in the three game series starting later this week could also be playing in the World Cup of 50 - over cricket next month, which implies Ravichandran Ashwin is not just back in the reckoning for white-ball cricket after a long while but also among the leading lights being lined up for global glory, which is just as well. They do get it right sometimes, after all. It is true that he came probably to be thought of only as Axar Patel had been given up on but India's selectors had all but forgotten about Ashwin recent months, which was a shame.

We can be grateful for small mercies but still, you wonder why they bundled him out to the doghouse for so long in the first place. And also, why they speak of the left-handers in Australia's frontline batting to explain, in parts of the media, the return of the Tamil Nadu man is not exactly clear.