WI vs IND 2022 | Ravichandran Ashwin doesn't give you attacking option, reckons Parthiv Patel

07/31/2022

Parthiv Patel believes India's other spinners provide them with greater variety and opportunities to take wickets, making Ravichandran Ashwin's chances to get into the World T20 team rather slim. He went on to commend the side's unusual team selection in the first T20I against West Indies.

With the World T20 in Australia less than three months away, India's squad selection conundrums continue to only compound. While the influx of rising batters and pacers took most headlines in recent times, the first T20I against West Indies at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy threw up questions about India's spin attack. The trío of Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravi Bishnoi took the limelight with sublime bowling performances to restrict West Indies to 122, earning India a comfortable 68-run victory.

Ashwin was the most impressive in the game, returning figures of 4-0-22-1. This was the veteran's first T20I since November last year, having been looked over for recent games against South Africa, Ireland and England. The 35-year-old had starred in the previous World T20I, picking up six wickets in three games while the only other spinner in the squad, Varun Chakravarthy, went wicketless. Even so, former Indian wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel believes Ashwin won't be able to make it to the upcoming marquee event, given the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav also waiting in the wings.

“I see Bishnoi playing ahead of Ashwin in the next game (if India decide to go with two spinners). I don’t see Ashwin playing the T20 World Cup, to be honest. I would want variety in Kuldeep Yadav, Bishnoi and (Yuzvendra) Chahal. Wrist spinners give that attacking option in between. Ashwin doesn’t give you that,” Parthiv told Cricbuzz.

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The team selection for the first T20I surprised many across the cricket fraternity given the unusual choice to field three spinners. Caribbean conditions are usually known to favour pace bowling and playing three spinners there is simply unheard of. However, to India's credit, it was the slow bowlers that did lead the charge, combing for fie wickets while giving away just 74 runs in 12 overs and handing India a 1-0 lead in the series. Patel was highly appreciative of the bold tactical move as well as the manner in which skipper Rohit Sharma effectively used the options available to him.

“Even in India, you don’t see three spinners playing in a T20 or a one-day game. Tactically, India have been brilliant throughout this tour. Even in the last ODI, when they came in to bat after rain, they thought (more) rain would come, and they played like that. Today also, tactically playing three spinners," he stated.

“He made sure the spinners bowled at different times. We saw Ravi Bishnoi bowling four overs together at the death. Ashwin and Jadeja bowled in the first six overs. Usually, we see Ashwin bowling with the new ball, but not Jadeja. But we saw Jadeja bowl because of two right-handed match-ups. Rohit was on top of his game."

India will be next in action for the second T20I against the West Indies in Basseterre on Monday.