'They are bowlers who can bat': Gambhir wants India to play senior players together in away conditions

While Ravichandran Ashwin scored 61 off 82 balls, Ravindra Jadeja remained unbeaten on a career-best 175 off 228 balls after which the pair led the way with the ball for India on Day 2.

Both Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin put up all-round performances on Day 2 to put India potentially on their way to an innings victory in their first Test against Sri Lanka. The pair put up 130 runs for the seventh wicket, which turned out to be India's partnership in an innings in which they had two other three-figure stands and a 90-run stand between Virat Kohli and Hanuma Vihari for the third wicket.

India are on their way to recording an innings victory in the 1st Test.  (BCCI)

While Ashwin scored 61 off 82 balls, Jadeja remained unbeaten on a career-best 175 off 228 balls. Ashwin then took two wickets while Jadeja got the all-important scalp of Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne to reduce Sri Lanka to 108/4 at the end of the day. Former India batter Gautam Gambhir said that this performance proves that the two star all-rounders deserved to play together more often in away conditions as well.

“I would want to see R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja play together away from home - whether it is South Africa, Australia, New Zealand or England. We say at times that two spinners cannot play together but if you have two such quality spinners and Jadeja can give you quality batting like this at No. 7, then there is no problem in that,” Gambhir said on Star Sports after the day's play.

"To win a Test match you need to pick 20 wickets. Test cricket is not just the game of the first innings and wherever you go, the ball starts turning in the third or fourth innings."

Gambhir said that while the pair can give India an “exceptional attack”, he was disappointed by how Ashwin performed during the tour of South Africa earlier this year.

“Ashwin and Jadeja are both bowlers who can bat as well, it can give you an exceptional attack. You can control the game also and give breaks to your fast bowlers as well. Along with that, even if there is a slight help from the pitch, Jadeja and Ashwin can become a lethal combination,” said Gambhir.

“R Ashwin disappointed me a little on the last tour of South Africa because the experience he has and the sort of bowler he is, I would want to see him bowl with an attacking mindset. We have seen two types of Ashwin, the Melbourne spell he bowled was according to me, the best spell by an off-spinner but in South Africa he bowled with an extremely defensive thinking,” he said.