Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels while Ravichandran Ashwin might be lacking a bit in wicket-taking abilities in the middle overs in T20I cricket, he has mastered the art of being economical, which complements an aggressive wicket-taking bowler like Yuzvendra Chahal.
Ashwin has done well in the ongoing five-match T20I series against the West Indies, with the 35-year-old off-spinner taking two wickets in the opening match as India defeated the hosts by 68 runs in Trinidad.
“You know, the spinner’s job in T20 cricket, in the middle phase, is to get wickets like Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj do for South Africa. That’s where Ashwin lacked a bit as a T20 spinner. He focused a lot on the economy, but when you have somebody like Chahal, or if there’s another wicket-taking wrist spinner, then Ashwin becomes a great compliment because Ashwin has mastered the art of being economical in T20 cricket. In the first T20, a couple of wickets was a great sign, but that’s what you’ll get with Ashwin, that compliment to the other main wicket-taking spinner in the team,” Manjrekar said.
Ashwin has returned to the T20 squad after a long time and his inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad is not clear yet. However, the spinner has the ability to make contributions with the bat in the lower order.
“I think Ashwin’s selection on this tour was an excellent one. In the last couple of years in the Indian T20 league, Ashwin has started making an impact. I like Ashwin when he’s with somebody like Chahal. So, the onus is not on Ashwin to change the tide,” he explained.
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