India’s wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Karthik feels it is unfair to question Ravichandran Ashwin’s performances in SENA countries.
Recently, India’s former batsman Sanjay Manjrekar stated that he has a problem when people rate Ashwin as an all-time great as he hasn’t picked a lot of five-wicket hauls in SENA countries.
However, it should be noted that there is not much help for spinners in SENA countries and as India’s pace battery has drastically improved in the recent past, they have picked the lion share of the wickets while playing in the overseas conditions.
Furthermore, there is no doubt that Ashwin has improved his performances in the foreign conditions. Ashwin had scalped 12 wickets in three Test matches against Australia and had bowled with an impressive economy rate.
Moreover, the off-spinner is the third highest wicket-taker in the World Test Championship as he has scalped 67 wickets .
Dinesh Karthik said while talking to Sports Today, “When it comes to Ashwin, a lot of things have been said about his performances in SENA. I think it’s a tad bit unfair.
Even if you see the way he has bowled in Australia, the pressure he has been able to create and his ability to get good batsmen out.” Karthik said.
“You have to understand the quality of pace bowlers we have. When we go abroad, they tend to pick up a lot of wickets. A spinner’s role, a lot of times, especially when the pitch doesn’t do much is to not give too many runs and Ashwin does it brilliantly well.
When it comes to playing in India, we have seen the wickets he picks, he is an absolute legend in India and he has put up so many performances and won more Man of the Series Awards for India than anybody else in such a short time.
Karthik added that the Indian team will field both Ravichandran Ashwin as well as Ravindra Jadeja in the final XI for the World Test Championship.
Meanwhile, Ashwin has played 47 matches in home conditions in which he has scalped 286 wickets at an impressive average of 21.89. On the other hand, Ashwin has snared 123 wickets in overseas conditions in 31 Test matches and he has taken six five-wicket hauls.
The WTC final will be played at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton from June 18.
