Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh said that this is the best he has seen Ravichandran Ashwin bowl while playing outside Asia. Ashwin scalped four wickets in the first innings of the England batting.
Therefore, Ashwin was able to hit the right lengths, bowl with the appropriate speed and provided great revolutions on the ball. Consequently, both Ashwin and India have reaped fruits for the off spinner’s good work.
Harbhajan Singh decodes Ravichandran Ashwin success.
Furthermore, Ashwin also played County Cricket for Worcestershire which has helped him know the English conditions better. In fact, the dampness in the pitch has also helped him.
“This is the best I have seen Ashwin bowl outside the subcontinent. He has done very well over the years but most of his wickets have come in the subcontinent. Wickets don’t come easy back home either, but when the conditions are favorable, you tend to get more confidence,” Harbhajan Singh told TOI.
Harbhajan went on to add that a spinner needs to stick to the basics if he has to savor success in England. Thus, the Turbanantor added that Ashwin has done well in focussing more energy on bowling his stock delivery. Consequently, Ashwin hasn’t experimented with too many variations.
“When you are trying too much, it means you are not doing enough with your stock ball. Here in England, all those carom balls and googlies won’t make much of a difference because it doesn’t spin that much. It’s crucial to deceive the batsman in flight if a spinner has to be successful in England and that’s exactly what Ashwin did,” Harbhajan said, referring to the dismissal of Jos Buttler.
Harbhajan Singh also decoded why Ashwin is getting more purchase from the surface. The former Indian off-spinner said that Ashwin is bowling with a seam up and putting more revolutions on the ball.
“I think he is bowling seam up and there are more revs being imparted by putting it more in the air and it leads to overspin (as opposed to sidespin where the ball curves away rather than dipping). It’s the best way to go about in these conditions because unless you impart more spin on the ball, it just wouldn’t spin.”
Ravichandran Ashwin has been majestic thus far. He has made full use of his vast experience. Ashwin had produced the ‘Ball of the Day’ on the first day. Furthermore, the off-spinner once again yielded a replica to dismiss Alastair Cook.