Kings XI Punjab to retain Ashwin

New Delhi, October 14

Kings XI Punjab co-owner Ness Wadia said the franchise decided not to trade Ravichandran Ashwin with the Delhi Capitals following a “rethink” by the board. 

It has been learnt that the newly-appointed head coach Anil Kumble was also keen to retain Ashwin, who captained the side in the previous two editions. “The KXIP board had a rethink and it realised that Ashwin is an integral part of the team. There were discussions with Delhi Capitals but those discussions never came off. The way he plays his cricket and his performances speak for him,” Wadia said.

Under Ashwin’s leadership, KXIP showed a lot of promise in the first-half of the past two seasons before losing momentum in the second-half. They finished seventh in 2018 and sixth in 2019. The off-spinner, who plays only one format for India, has been in fine form in the ongoing Test series against South Africa. Now with Kumble on board, the franchise is aiming to end its title drought. The former India captain has been handed a three-year contract. — PTI