Does leaving Ashwin out again make sense?
MUMBAI: One way or the other, Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri can’t be questioned on being firm in their decision making. Overlooking historical data of The Oval being the most spin friendly of all English Test venues and shutting out media talk—what they term “outside noise”—India went ahead and kept their premier spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on the bench for the 4th Test running in the series.
When India drafted their seventh seamer, Prasidh Krishna, in the playing squad as an injury cover, it was an indicator that Kohli was committed to retaining his four fast bowlers template in England. On Day 1, the wicket had grass—evidently the home team would have wanted to minimize the Ashwin threat. The pitch didn’t resemble the surface on which Ashwin had picked seven wickets for Surrey before the series.
And England seamers did run through the Indian batting with spongy bounce and good movement on the day. But it’s still a inexplicable (or brave, depending on your point of view) call from India to ignore the damage Ashwin could inflict in a two-innings contest. As recently as June, on a more seam friendly surface, Ashwin had put up a solid show in the World Test Championship final.
To decode Kohli’s thinking, Ashwin was only considered to replace Ravindra Jadeja. He said at the toss that Jadeja’s batting provides them with better team balance.
Curiously, he also spoke of Jadeja being a better match-up to the three English left-handers.
“Mostly all our seamers bowl over the wicket. It’s a nice little spot for the left-handers as well,” he said. “I think according to the match-ups, it fits perfectly for our team.”
There is no doubt that Jadeja does better against left-handers than right-handers—according to Cricviz data, in away Tests, he averages 30 v left-handed batters and 37 v right-handed batters. But this pales in comparison to Ashwin’s record against the left-handed—a breathtaking average of 19.54 in away Tests (against 44.51 v right-handers).
Data believers
The Indian think tank being big believers in data, would also have come across Ashwin’ superior record against the prolific Joe Root (five dismissals in 16 Tests).
What many experts differ sharply with Kohli on—it’s a judgement call against which the captain will be measured by the end of this series—is his reluctance to view Ashwin as an all-weather spinner. “I would have played Ashwin in place of Shardul Thakur and Vihari (in place of Jadeja). With Ashwin, you have four attacking bowlers. He can perform in any conditions according to me,” VVS Laxman told Cricinfo.
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan was more scathing. “The non-selection of @ashwinravi99 has to be greatest NON selection we have ever witnessed across 4 Tests in the UK !!! 413 Test wickets & 5 Test 100s !!!! #ENGvIND Madness,” he tweeted. Mark Waugh was quick to join in. “Makes you wonder if the Indian think tank have any clue,” he replied.
Ashwin, sporting his best shades, was pictured cooling his heels in the players area. He has been doing all in his powers to be upbeat, keeping things light and humorous on his social media handles.
From tweeting his picture from the nets to batting lefthanded and keeping up his talk-show duties on his YouTube channel where he talked about how he was anxiously awaiting for heat wave predictions to come true before the Lord’s Test to get a look in.
Ashwin’s exclusion also exerts pressure on those in the playing eleven he could have replaced. Promoted in the batting order to No.5 on Thursday, Jadeja could do precious little. But more importantly, with two wickets in three Tests so far at an average of 93, he has strictly looked like a defensive 5th bowler, playing just to give his seamers a breather.
For Thakur, who has played all of three Tests, to be picked ahead of the highest wickettaker in the squad will also mean intense scrutiny.