Former Indian wicketkeeper, Farokh Engineer has defended Ravichandran Ashwin’s decision for the 3rd Test involving England and India, which begins on August 25 at Headingley Cricket Ground in Leeds. Engineer also said during a recent discussion that Ashwin was meant to play at Lord’s, which the spinner had stated previously in an Interaction. Here is Farokh Engineer About Ravichandran Ashwin
Farokh Engineer About Ravichandran Ashwin
Although India’s number one spinner, Ashwin has been mostly neglected on the England series so far. Skipper Virat Kohli as well as team management have been consistent in their pick of 4 seamers, which has set the path for the side’s success thus far. Engineer feels that the Tamil Nadu spinner must be back in the XI for the 3rd Test, despite the fact that India’s concept of having an additional seamer has performed effectively so far.
Engineer stated the weather earlier on day one restricted India from going after Ashwin. “The thing is Ashwin was due to play at Lord’s, from what I have heard. I am not privy to inside information about team tactics. But it rained, conditions became cloudy. When the conditions become cloudy, pacers are preferred. So we made the right decisions,” he said in an interview.
I am not privy to inside information about team tactics: Farokh Engineer
Engineer went on to say that there was a point during the Lord’s Test when India would have required Ashwin to bowl. He backed up his claim by recommending that the off-spinner bat with 3 pacers in the Leeds Test. He added that Ashwin is a world-class bowler as well as a very fine batter too.
“But at one time we may have been thinking that we should have played Ashwin. At Headingley, we should play three pacers and Ashwin. Because we will get more variety. Don’t forget, Ashwin is a very good all-rounder. He is a world class-bowler, but he is also a very good batsman. And he is a fighter. We need fighters like him in the team,” Engineer added.
Ashwin’s bowling has been excellent in the previous 6 months, as it has been throughout his career. However, he also received a lot of attention for his performance with the bat. He has also driven Team India towards victory in a Test match with Australia in Sydney. On his comeback to India, he scored his 5th Test century versus England.
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