In India’s stirring 2011 World Cup triumph, R Ashwin, a rookie then who was very much secondary to Harbhajan Singh in the rank of off-spinners, played only two matches. The first was against West Indies in Chennai and the second against Australia in Ahmedabad. Will Ashwin play against Australia in Chennai in 2023?
As things stand, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja have been playing regularly to perhaps merit selection ahead of Ashwin if India stick to two spinners. But if horses for courses is India’s thing, like it was in MS Dhoni’s time at the helm, Ashwin’s inclusion at Chepauk has a lot going for it. First, he’s likely to have an encyclopedic knowledge about the MA Chidambaram Stadium’s intricacies like nobody else in the Indian team. From the direction of the wind to the degree of turn and the dimensions of the boundary, Ashwin has all of it figured out in his ever-ticking brain.
Second, Australia are likely to field four left-handers in the line-up. At a time when most teams go to town on match-ups, here’s one right in Ashwin’s alley. Particularly against opener David Warner, one of Australia’s most fearsome ball-strikers, Ashwin may even claim a slight psychological edge. He’s had enormous success against the left-hander in Tests, and seems to draw the Australian out of his comfort zone in the shorter formats. Never mind Warner’s ambidexterity, his attempt to bat right-handed is a sign of that discomfort.
And third, Ashwin is a mighty fine bowler still capable of having a say in the outcome of white-ball matches. Sample the just-concluded series between India and Australia, where Ashwin, 37, claimed four scalps across the two matches India won. In Indore, he dismissed Warner, Marnus Labuschagne and Josh Inglis in a sublime spell where he flexed his vast repertoire of variations. This was after spending 18 months in the one-day wilderness.
{{/usCountry}}And third, Ashwin is a mighty fine bowler still capable of having a say in the outcome of white-ball matches. Sample the just-concluded series between India and Australia, where Ashwin, 37, claimed four scalps across the two matches India won. In Indore, he dismissed Warner, Marnus Labuschagne and Josh Inglis in a sublime spell where he flexed his vast repertoire of variations. This was after spending 18 months in the one-day wilderness.
{{/usCountry}}Skipper Rohit Sharma seemed to hint his preference for three spinners in the pre-match press conference on Saturday. With Ashwin capable of contributing a few runs at No. 8 – he gave his batting sufficient time in the nets on Thursday and Friday -- India’s wariness about the lack of batting depth should not be a factor.
“Yeah, I mean that’s the luxury we have where we can afford to play three spinners because I don't really consider Hardik Pandya as just a seamer. He's a proper fast bowler, who can crank up good speed. So that gives us an advantage,” said Sharma. “That gives us that luxury of playing three spinners and three seamers as well you know, so there's a possibility that we can play three spinners on this pitch. Like I said will we have to come here again tomorrow afternoon and see what the pitch looks like, but yeah, three spinners are definitely an option.”
Sunil Subramanian, an instrumental helping hand in Ashwin’s early years, believes the ace off-spinner's presence on Sunday is a must.
“Among the wickets for the World Cup, if at all you can have some purchase, it is going to be Chennai. There will be a little bit of purchase. Someone like Ashwin, if you give him half an inch, he will take a kilometre,” said Subramanian, a former left-arm spinner who served as the Indian team manager from 2017 to 2019. “My bowling combo would be Bumrah, Siraj/Shami and three spinners. Why play more medium pacers against a team that is used to quicker bowling? They play pace bowling day in and day out. You have an option like Ashwin who gets into their skin.”
One of Ashwin’s well-known virtues is his grasp of the game. Having first observed Ashwin two decades ago, Subramanian confirms it is one of Ashwin’s innate strengths. “It is not a recent phenomenon. I haven't come across someone who was this aware of the game, what the batter would play, what the situation is, what fields to set, what line to bowl. He had this at the age of 17-18. Having got exposure at the international level, it has only enhanced that. He is world class for that reason. He has everything mapped out in his head,” said Subramanian.
India’s most recent selection blunder was perhaps leaving out Ashwin for the World Test Championship final against Australia in June. What will they do at Chepauk on Sunday?