Chennai: Ignored for India's Twenty20 series against Australia, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was today named in the 15-member Tamil Nadu Ranji squad along with Test opener Murali Vijay for the season-opener against Andhra Pradesh, starting Friday.
The team, to be led by Abhinav Mukund, would miss the
services of the experienced batsman-wicketkeeper Dinesh
Karthik and all-rounder Vijay Shankar. Karthik has been picked for the T20 series against
Australia while Shankar features in the Board President's XI
to face New Zealand.
The team includes exciting all-rounder Washington Sundar,
who has impressed with his recent performances including in
the Duleep Trophy final. Baba Indrajith, who scored a double ton on his Duleep
Trophy debut, would be Mukund's deputy.
The team also features aggressive wicketkeeper-batsman N
Jagadeesan and another gloveman in R Rohith, who shone in the
recent Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). In the absence of T Natarajan and Aswin Crist due to
fitness issues, the pace attack would be led by K Vignesh, who
did well in his debut season with 30-plus wickets as Tamil
Nadu made the semifinals.
L Vignesh and V Lakshman are the other pacemen named in
the squad. With the wicket at the M A Chidambaram Stadium likely to
assist the spinners, the selectors have picked three
specialists apart from Ashwin and Washington Sundar.
"It is a good team. We have a mix of experience and
youth. The availability of Ashwin and Vijay is certain to
bolster the squad," Chairman of selectors Sridharan Sharath
told PTI. Left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore and Lakshman, who had done
well in the local league, have also been picked
"Not having Vijay Shankar (limited overs captain) is a
big miss. But we have Ashwin, Washington Sundar and other
all-rounders in the squad," Sharath said.
Squad: Abhinav Mukund (C), Baba Indrajith (VC), M Vijay,
M Kaushik Gandhi, N Jagadeesan (WK), Baba Aparajith, MS
Washington Sundar, Rahil S Shah, K Vignesh, R Ashwin,
L Vignesh, R Sai Kishore, V Lakshman, R Rohith (WK) and
Malolan Rangarajan.
