Australia are one of the favorites for ODI World Cup 2023: Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin, a harbinger of distinct viewpoints, consistently unveils cricket's facets through a unique lens. A rare cricketer who dedicates as much contemplation to the sport's nuanced facets as to actual on-field exploits, Ashwin's perspectives invariably deviate from the norm. This divergence once again came to the fore as he unveiled an intriguing layer in the run-up to the ODI World Cup 2023.

He posited that rival teams, in a calculated maneuver, label India as frontrunners for victory to alleviate their own burdens. This orchestration, he believes, serves to shunt the pressure onto a team like India, which shoulders immense expectations on them.

The upcoming ODI World Cup, scheduled to commence on October 5, will be played on Indian soil. Unlike prior instances of co-hosting with sub-continental counterparts in 1987, 1996, and 2011, the forthcoming iteration offers India a solo role as host.

Logically, the Indian contingent stands among the favored contenders, bolstered by the historical precedent of the host nation triumphing in the last three editions—India in 2011, Australia in 2015, and England in 2019. Ashwin said that Australia are a powerhouse and they will be one of the favorites.

"Going into the ODI World Cup, Australia are one of the favorites. I know people around the world cricket will keep saying India are favorite — in fact, all the cricketers around the world will use this as a strategy and say India are favorite before every ICC event. They use this strategy to reduce the pressure on themselves and put extra pressure on us. India could well be one of the favorites, but Australia also are a powerhouse," remarked Ashwin on his YouTube channel.

As per Ashwin, Australia's ascendancy in the cricketing echelons is underscored by dual triumphs in the recent past—the maiden T20 World Cup in 2021 and subsequent conquest of the World Test Championship, vanquishing India in the final encounter.

For the marquee event, Australia already unveiled their provisional 18-man squad for the impending World Cup. Within this cohort, fresh faces emerge uncapped leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha and all-rounder Aaron Hardie, while the exclusion of Marnus Labuschagne stands as an enigma.