Senior Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, a veteran of 80 Tests- and over 400 wickets, on Saturday asked fellow spinner Axar Patel, who is only playing his eighth Test, for some advice, having being impressed with the latter's set-up for New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor en route to his dismissal. And Axar came up with a hilarious response.
Axar set up Taylor with deliveries targetting both the edges of the bat before going wide of the crease and dishing out that slower one which only turned off the deck a bit to take the edge before safely landing in the gloves of wicketkeeper KS Bharat.
Ashwin, on BCCI.tv after day 3's play, admitted that when he tried a similar on the field, the batsman got beaten rather than the ball taking the edge. Axar advised him to spin the ball less.
“One thing I really liked today and I want to ask that now. That set-up for Ross Taylor where that one ball turned only a bit. When I turn the ball, it goes past the bat, but in your case it takes the edge. That is what I want to learn from you. Want the ball to take the edge and land in his (KS Bharat) gloves," said Ashwin.
Axar replied saying, “You spin the ball too much and that's why it goes past the bat (laughs). My ball doesn't turn that much so it is enough to take the edge.”
Axar finished with five for 62, his fifth five wicket haul in just four Tests while Ashwin picked three wickets as India restricted New Zealand to a first-innings deficit of 49.
India eventually finished day 3 with a 63-run lead for the loss of one wicket, opener Shubman Gill.