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Ashwin backed as Test captain in bold remark by Ex-PAK cricketer: 'India looked weak without Kumble, same goes for him'
Ravichandran Ashwin gained plaudits for his performances with both bat and ball in India's Test series in Bangladesh and for the way he has reacted in pressure situations in recent matches.
Ravichandran Ashwin has earned plaudits for his all-round performances in India's Test series in Bangladesh, with some fans even saying that he should be among the frontrunners to be the team's captain in the longest format of the game. Ashwin became the second fastest, only behind New Zealand great Richard Hadlee, to reach 3000 runs and over 400 wickets in Test cricket, over the course of the series and was crucial in India avoiding a first-ever defeat to Bangladesh in the longest format in the second Test.
Ashwin took seven wickets in the series and scored 112 runs. He took India over the line in the second Test by calmly lifting the ball over the infield off consecutive balls to send it to the boundary and finished unbeaten on 42 off 62 balls. He had taken four wickets in the Bangladesh first innings and two in the hosts' second as well. Former Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria has said that Ashwin should be among the candidates to take over as India's Test captain.
"Ravichandran Ashwin should be one of the candidates for India's Test captaincy. He still has a lot of cricket left in him. He is very smart and intelligent with his batting and bowling. It seems as if he is constantly thinking when he is on the ground."
Fans also cited Ashwin's role in pushing India over the line against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup earlier this year. Ashwin came on after Dinesh Karthik fell off the second last ball of a match that has since been regarded as one of the greatest T20 World Cup games of all time. India still needed two runs to win and Ashwin had to take strike. He proceeded to calmly leave the ball when he saw that it was going down the leg side and it was called wide. Then Ashwin just lifted the ball beyond the packed infield to secure the one run needed and India won the match.
Kaneria said that Ashwin was calm when India were under pressure during the second Test as well. “India were under a lot of pressure. Ravichandran Ashwin was cool and calm in that situation, playing a great knock to steady the ship for his team. He has saved India on several occasions with his batting contributions. The Indian team looked weak when they played without Anil Kumble in the past, and the same goes for Ashwin. His 42-run knock was equal to scoring a century,” he said.
