Where would you add Ashwin when Washington does that job for team: Kohli

Ravichandran Ashwin might have turned around things for India in Test cricket but skipper Virat Kohli played down the possible return of the seasoned off-spinner in T20Is. Ashwin last played a T20I in July 2017 while his last game in the ODIs was against West Indies in June in the same year.

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Kohli said all-rounder Washington Sundar, who played against Australia in India's last T20I outing, remains the hosts' first choice unless he himself underperforms in the later stages.

"Washington has been doing really well for us. You cannot have two players (Washington and Aswhin) of the same discipline playing in one spot so unless Washi has a drastically horrible season and things go south for him, I mean the question should be asked with some kind of logic as well. You suggest where you would add Ash when Washington does that job for the team," Kohli said in a virtual press conference on Thursday.

Earlier this week, it was reported that spinner Varun Chakravarthy could also be replaced by Rahul Chahar in the squad as the former failed to clear the mandatory fitness test. The Indian skipper pointed out how players need to have top-notch fitness if they want to play for the country.

"Individuals have to understand and appreciate the kind of system that's been created for the Indian cricket team. We should operate at a very high level of fitness and skills, there is a reason why this is a top of a ladder when it comes to playing cricket in our country," said Kohli.

"You would obviously expect players to abide by what's required to be a part of team India and there can't be a space to comprise in that regard," he added.

The Men in Blue have some newbies in their squad and all of them have high potential to start firing from game number one. The likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Rahul Tewatia, and Ishan Kishan have impressed in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and it has finally seen them being rewarded with a place in the Indian squad for the T20I series.