‘Smart’ Ashwin routs the Kiwis
STAR OFF-SPINNER BAMBOOZLES KANE’S MEN He also weighed in with a valuable 40 in India’s first innings.
Skipper Virat Kohli hailed Ravichandran Ashwin as “priceless” after he spun India to victory yesterday over New Zealand, saying the off-spinner was one of cricket’s ultimate match-winners and sharpest brains.
Ashwin claimed six second-innings wickets as India bowled out New Zealand for 236 on the fifth and final day of the first Test in Kanpur – his 19th five-wicket haul in Tests.
The 30-year-old finally put the tourists out of their misery when he dismissed Neil Wagner lbw for a duck with the Black Caps still 198 runs short of their target, giving him overall match figures of 10/225.
The innings was all the more memorable for Ashwin as his dismissal of Black Caps’ skipper Kane Williamson meant that he became the second fastest bowler of all time to claim 200 Test wickets.
By reaching the milestone in what is only his 37th match, Ashwin has outdone many of the greats of the game such as Sri Lanka’s record-breaking spinner Muttiah Muralitharan who took 42 Tests to reach 200.
“He’s been outstanding for the Indian team but if you see all the impact players around the world, he comes in the top three-four easily,” Kohli told reporters.
“There are quite a few players making a big impact for their respective sides. Especially bowlers. Bowlers are the ones I feel that win you Test matches and Ashwin is one of them.”
Ashwin, who also contributed with a valuable 40-run knock in India’s first-innings score of 318, has been the team’s go-to man in recent times with both bat and ball.
On the recent tour of the West Indies, Ashwin scored two centuries as well as taking 17 wickets.
“It’s priceless to have a cricketer like Ashwin in your Test team. He gives balance with both bat and ball,” said Kohli.
“He’s a very keen thinker of the game. He likes to talk cricket. He understands the game very well. Very smart cricketer, very intelligent.”
Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja shared 16 wickets between them in the match to flatten the New Zealand batting at Kanpur’s Green Park. – AFP