Mahesh Pithiya clone of Ashwin rejects Australian Team for preparation of World Cup 2023.

Baroda’s off-spinner, Mahesh Pithiya, had been closely associated with the Australian cricket team during the previous edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. His bowling action bears a resemblance to that of the legendary Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. The intention behind including him in the setup was to facilitate the Australian team in learning how to combat Ashwin’s skills effectively. Regrettably, Australia couldn’t find the desired success in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with Ashwin emerging as the leading wicket-taker.

As the forthcoming ODI World Cup, scheduled to commence on October 5, approached, the Australian team management approached Pithiya to rejoin their squad before their pivotal match against the hosts on October 8. However, following consultations with Baroda’s bowling coach, S Aravind, the 21-year-old decided to decline the offer. He expressed his preference to channel his energies towards the domestic season rather than taking on additional commitments.

Pithiya told SportsStar “It was certainly an exciting offer, but then, I am also part of the Baroda set-up for the domestic season that begins next month. So, I thought about it, spoke to our coach and informed them that it won’t be possible for me to join the camp this time around.”

Pithiya clarified that he was not originally part of the Australian team’s plans. It was only after the BCCI announced Ravichandran Ashwin’s inclusion in the ODI World Cup squad that he received the offer to join the team by October 4 in Chennai.

“As soon as the BCCI announced Ashwin as the replacement for Axar, I got the call. It is always exciting to work with international teams, but my priority is domestic cricket. I have come so far because of playing for Baroda and ahead of a long season, I thought I should focus on my game and not join the Australian team.”