Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes India would be able to take only one specialist spinner for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Kuldeep Yadav is currently ahead of Varun Chakravarthy in the pecking order in ODIs but the former didn’t have a great series against New Zealand.

Yadav scalped three wickets in as many games at an average of 60.67. Chakravarthy, on the other hand, has played only four ODIs in which he has scalped 10 wickets. Ashwin reckons India would play one spin-bowling all-rounder in the team between Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar.

The ODI showpiece will be played in South Africa and the conditions won’t be too conducive for the spinners.

“If you are playing two spinners, Kuldeep and Varun, then either of them have to be your number eight. So it is difficult to play two spinners. You can have them in the squad. But then what about the spin batter you want in Axar, Jadeja, or Sundar. You can have two spinners but one has to be someone who can bat. So India has to decide where to go. I think you can take only one specialist spinner. And I am still saying the lesser you expose Varun the better. You have to use him properly. The novelty factor has to stay. I also liked how they rested him now too and dealt with it,” Ashwin said on ‘Ash ki Baat’.

Ashwin said in-form Abhishek Sharma can be developed into a bowling all-rounder as he has the right skills.

“Abhishek has skill as a bowler. He has more variety as well. He has hue potential. But a lot of batters start working less on their bowling because it affects the volume of their batting. But I hope that does not happen. Bowling an over or two in T20 is different from bowling in ODIs. I hope Abhishek takes his bowling seriously because he can contribute and be a good spin bowling all-rounder for India in the future.”

India is currently taking on New Zealand in a T20I series.