Dinesh Karthik has voiced his support for R Ashwin to lead India in the upcoming Asian Games.

The 19th edition of the Asian Games, a multi-sport event where Asian countries participate, will be played in the Chinese city of Hangzhou between September 23-October 8, 2023. T20 cricket will be a part of the Asian Games for the third time in its history.

Cricket first appeared in the Asian Games in 2010 and then in 2014. India, however, didn’t send their teams on either occasion. That is about to change this time around as India is set to send both their men’s and women’s teams to the 2023 Asian Games, for the first time in its history.

With the schedule of the Asian Games clashing against the men’s ODI World Cup, most first-choice players will be missing from the men’s team. Speaking at a media event today (July 01), Dinesh Karthik said since India would need to send a second-string side to the event, they should consider making R Ashwin the captain.

Karthik voiced his support for his Tamil Nadu and India teammate, saying that Ashwin has earned the right to lead India given what he has achieved for the national side over the years.

“Ashwin is arguably one of the greatest cricketers ever to have played in terms of his quality of bowling, the amount of wickets he’s picked up, the number of Man of the Series he’s got and I genuinely wish if this Asian Games, India is sending a B team, because the main team is gonna be preparing for the World Cup, and if they feel Ashwin is not part of the setup, I really hope and wish that they make him the captain. Because I think he deserves it.

“I genuinely feel that he is somebody who has earned the right to be a captain of Team India for whatever achievements he’s had. I understand they’re going in a different direction in Test cricket right now. But I really hope and wish that the selectors make him the captain for the Asian Games, which I think will be a feather in his cap and something that is very well deserved.”

Ashwin has never led India in any format so far in international cricket, but he does have leadership experience. He was the captain of Kings XI Punjab for two seasons in the IPL from 2018 to 2019 and had a decent record, winning 12 of the 28 games he led in. Apart from that, he has also led in domestic cricket and in the TNPL.

BCCI is expected to hand over the list of players for the Asian Games to the Indian Olympic Association soon.

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