Former Indian selector Saba Karim feels that veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been the greatest match-winner for India in test cricket and urged the Indian team management to play him in the SENA countries in the ongoing World Test Championship Cycle.
Ravichandran Ashwin was often dropped from the playing 11 in SENA countries due to the playing combination. In the recent WTC final, The 36-year-old was dropped from the playing 11 against Australia as the team went in with four seamers, as they failed to assess the conditions in Kennington, Oval which eventually led to the team’s loss in England.
Speaking on Jiocinema, Saba Karim believes that Ashwin has arguably been the biggest match-winner for the Men in Blue in the longer format of the game and wants the Indian team to play him in the SENA countries and reckons that it is the biggest call that the Indian team management going forward in next WTC cycle.
“Let’s not have any what about it. He is arguably the No. 1 match-winner for India, I hope that in this World Test Championship cycle, he gets to play in the SENA countries even when India goes in with a solitary spinner. I think that’s the biggest call that the Indian team management has to take,” Saba Karim said.
Ravichandran Ashwin made a comeback into the playing 11 in the 1st test and was the standout performer for India with the ball against West Indies in the 1st test as he recorded one of his best away performances, taking 5/60 in the first innings and 7/71 in the second innings to finish with figure 12/131 and will look to continue his fine form going forward in test cricket.
You Need Someone Like Ravichandran Ashwin To Be In Prime Form – Saba Karim
Saba Karim feels that the Indian veteran is constantly evolving in his game in the last few years as he has been developing his skills to best against the high-quality batter in the game and asserted that Ashwin’s form would be crucial for the Indian team if they need to reach the WTC Final.
“There is a constant evolvement of R Ashwin, we have seen that in the past few years. For him to understand the shifting paradigm of international cricket and understand how to become a better bowler and how to get rid of good batters of spin bowling, we have seen that over the past few years”.
“For India to remain in contention to qualify once again for the World Test Championship final, you need someone like R Ashwin to be in prime form,” Saba Karim added.
Ashwin has been the standout performer at home over the years and he has improved his record in foreign conditions over the last few years to provide some crucial breakthroughs for his team in the next World Test Championship final.