Indian captain Rohit Sharma has backed the experienced spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja to deliver the goods in the two-match Test series against South Africa. In the last few years, it has been noticed that India has played either Jadeja or Ashwin while playing in alienate conditions.
However, the pair might play together in the opening Test match against the Proteas as Mohammed Shami has been ruled out with an ankle injury. Jadeja and Ashwin have got all the experience under their belt and they will look to be at their absolute best against the home team.
“Every bowler will have a massive role, spinners as well. You know, sometimes when there is not too much assistance for the spinners, they’ve got a job to do to make sure you know they contain the runs. Every time you come here, the seamers have done the job for us. The spinners obviously play a second-fiddle role. Because sometimes, when you see the pitch assisting seamers a lot, there is a lot of seam bowling that happens. And the spinners have to contain or get a wicket or add pressure,” Rohit Sharma said in the pre-match press conference.
“I mean, we’ve got two experienced spinners in the squad, and they exactly know what is required. There’s not much talking that you need to do, uh, in terms of strategy and planning. Ashwin and Jadeja both know exactly what is required, whenever they come to bowl. They are quite attacking in terms of, you know, how they want to bowl as well, so I’m pretty sure whenever they get a ball in hand they’ll they’ll obviously look for wickets,” Rohit Sharma further added.
Ashwin has scalped 489 wickets in 94 Test matches at an average of 23.66 but he doesn’t have a great record in the South African conditions as he has picked up only 10 wickets in six Test matches at an average of 50.50.
On the other hand, Ravindra Jadeja has bagged 275 wickets in 67 Test matches at an average of 24.07. Jadeja has snared six wickets in the solitary Test match he has played on South African soil.
The first Test match between India and South Africa will be played at the SuperSport Park, Centurion from December 26.
