Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has hailed Ravichandran Ashwin as one of the biggest match-winners that India has ever produced. Ashwin has been a consistent performer for India, especially in Test matches and he is known to trouble the opposition batters in the Indian conditions.
The veteran off-spinner was once again at his absolute best, taking eight wickets in the opening Test match against Australia at the VCA Stadium, Nagpur. Ashwin returned with 3-42 in the first innings and helped the home team skittle out the visitors at 177.
Subsequently, the experienced spinner took his 31st five-wicket haul in the red-ball version in the second innings as he returned with figures of 5-37. Ashwin was too good for the Australian batters and wreaked havoc in the second innings.
Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel, “Ravichandran Ashwin has picked up 450 wickets and unfortunately, we are still not celebrating him enough. Just like Rohit Sharma the Test opener, similarly Ravichandran Ashwin the Test bowler. One of the biggest match-winners that India has ever produced. Kumble sahab and then Ravichandran Ashwin.”
Chopra lauded Ashwin’s ability to make the most of the home conditions and outshine other spinners in the game.
“When you talk to a lot of cricketers, they say that these pitches are very bad, if you bowl here you will get wickets. Not everyone gets wickets. Four to five spinners play in a match, he still picks up the most wickets.”
Ashwin has all the experience under his belt and the renowned commentator added that he knows how to pick wickets.
“It means he knows how to pick up wickets and in different, different conditions as well. Any batter might come in front of him, he finds a way to pick up wickets. One thing has definitely changed, although you shouldn’t compare eras, the defensive game of the batters has gone slightly down.”
“The pitches are slightly helpful but the matches shouldn’t end in two to two-and-a-half days on such pitches. These days all matches end, only a rare match goes to the fifth day. That is something that has changed but that should not take anything away or undermine what Ashwin is doing for Team India. I think he is a gun player.”
The second Test match between India and Australia will be played in Delhi from Friday onwards.
