Kings XI Punjab, a team who is known for their inconsistency on the field over the years as their hunt for the maiden IPL title is still on. But one thing that made them the favourites for the title is none other than the brilliance of the “captain unpredictable” R Ashwin.
Ignored by his ex-franchise, Preity Zinta had no issues in picking up the modern Indian spin wizard for a whopping 7.6 crore. While many criticized the franchise for not picking a captaincy candidate and an experienced Wicketkeeper, the management handed over the responsibility on the shoulders of Ashwin and he has been making them a side to watch out for this year.
Meanwhile, Former Indian bowling coach Joe Dawes believes that Ashwin is capable of leading the side in the International arena also. In his interview to Hindustan Times, he said “As captain, I think he (Ashwin) will excel (at the international level). Once he finds his feet, he will do a good job because he has a great cricketing brain. ”
It is to be noted that Ashwin played a good knock with the bat in the last match as he scored 45 runs. Lack of a proper partner made it difficult for him to lead the side to a win. Nonetheless, he is proving his all-around abilities as a skipper and it will be interesting to see how he approaches the game against Bangalore today.
Dawes further added “Ashwin is a unique cricketer. He loves to try out new things and tinker with what he has. There were times as a coach I would have loved him to keep things simple but this is what makes him tick and has helped him become one of the best spinners.”
Ashwin also impressed his fans by bowling leg breaks and his unpredictable moves on the field certainly made Kings XI a better side this year.
