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Cricket Players'Magician of a bowler, fighter of a batsman': Farokh Engineer wants R Ashwin to play in Leeds Test, explains why
While India managed to script a historic win at Lord's in the 2nd Test with the help of their pace-bowling line-up, former India cricketer Farokh Engineer wants R Ashwin to be included in the team for the Leeds Test.
When off-spinner R Ashwin was not included in the playing XI for the first Test against India at Trent Bridge, it raised a few questions over the team's selections criteria. Ashwin was one of the better bowlers for India in the World Test Championship final against New Zealand, picking three wickets in the match.
Ashwin also did a county stint with Surrey before the start of the Test series against England where he picked a five-wicket haul. But all-rounders Shardul Thakur and Ravindra Jadeja were picked over Ashwin at Trent Bridge.
Ashwin was all set to play in the Lord's Test, but overnight conditions led to the Indian team making a last-minute switch, which resulted in him missing out on the game yet again. While India managed to script a historic win at Lord's in the 2nd Test with the help of their pace-bowling line-up, former India cricketer Farokh Engineer wants Ashwin to be included in the team for the Leeds Test.
"The thing is Ashwin was due to play at Lord's, from what I have heard. I am not privy to inside information of team tactics. But it rained, conditions became cloudy. When the conditions become cloudy, pacers are preferred. So we made the right decisions," Engineer said in an interview with Sports Tak.
"But at one time we may have been thinking should we have played Ashwin. At Headingley, we should play three pacers and Ashwin. Because we will get more variety. Don't forget, Ashwin is a very good all-rounder. He is a world class-bowler, but also he is also a very good batsman. He got a brilliant hundred in Australia* (Ashwin scored a hundred against England in India). And he is a fighter. We need fighters like him in the team.
"So, I'd say yes Ashwin should be in the team. At who's expense, we don't know. But because it's a good problem for selctors to have. That we have got all. That we have got 12 or 14, and all 14 are good enough to beat England," he further explained his reasons for the call.
"But I would play Ashwin in the next Test, he is a magician of a bowler, fighter of a batsman. Very good batsman. So, yes my vote would go to him," he said.
Engineer, though, maintained that India would still have to look at the conditions at Headingley before making a final call on the playing XI.
"Again, depending on the wicket. In the rain of the past, England used to prepare greener pitches to suit their fast bowlers, but now India have better openers than England, so they cannot afford to make green pitches, so they will shoot themselves in the foot again," he signed off.
