Wanted a bowler to lead Kings XI Punjab: Sehwag

"Yuvraj was also there in our minds. But a lot of votes from our support staff and owners went to Ashwin" - Sehwag © BCCI

Kings XI Punjab on Monday announced India off-spinner R Ashwin as their captain for the upcoming IPL season. This will be Ashwin's maiden stint as a leader of an IPL franchisee.

Even though Yuvraj Singh, a former Punjab skipper in the IPL, was also in the reckoning, Kings XI mentor Virender Sehwag said that he always wanted a bowler to lead the side.

"I always thought that a bowler should be made the captain because I was a big fan of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Kapil Dev.

"I thought a bowler would be the best candidate for our team's captaincy. Yuvraj was also there in our minds. But a lot of votes from our support staff and owners went to Ashwin," Sehwag added.

For Ashwin, who was an integral part of the Chennai Super Kings, captaincy promotion was part of a "natural progression" after his seven-year international career.

"I see it as a natural progression for having played cricket for so long at the top level. I have always felt I had it in me (to be captain). WV Raman identified me as a captain when I was 21 years old. I ended up winning a few titles for TN. But for a bowler to become a captain, which is not something natural in the country, this is something fascinating," said the 31-year-old.

Known for his innovation and out-of-the-box thinking, Ashwin believes in his "tactical and strategical sharpness" to keep things going on the field.

"Being a bowler captain, I will be able to understand the bowlers and field changes. There are so many numbers and stats that can be crunched in T20s. I believe in certain amount of preparation before a match. I also believe my tactical and strategic sharpness which might stand me in good stead. I think I have got enough experience inside the dressing room to be able to fall back on to with those decisions," he added.