Both R Ashwin and Harbhajan Singh have taken more than 400 Test wickets.
Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir on Thursday (10th March) talked about the R Ashwin vs Harbhajan Singh debate. He picked which among the two would’ve troubled him more.
Both Ashwin and Harbhajan are touted as two of the best off-spinners that have played the game of cricket. The Indian bowlers have often drawn a comparison among them and there has been an everlasting debate about who is India's best off-spinner.
Ashwin recently surpassed Kapil Dev (434) to become the second-highest wicket-taker for India in Tests with 436 wickets to his name, just behind Anil Kumble (619). The senior Indian off-spinner achieved the feat in the recently held first Test against Sri Lanka in Mohali.
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Harbhajan Singh, who recently announced his retirement, on the other hand, is just behind Ashwin with 417 Test wickets to his name.
Speaking on Star Sports, Gautam Gambhir said that he would hate to face R Ashwin as he would trouble him more than Harbhajan Singh, who was a delight to watch.
He highlighted that being a left-hander Ashwin could dismiss him as he’s accurate with his speed and variations. While for ‘Turbinator’, he remarked that he could dip the ball with the bounce and doosra he had.
“As a batter, I would hate to face Ravichandran Ashwin, but I would love to watch Harbhajan Singh. This means, that as a left-hander, I would always feel that Ashwin could dismiss me, but as an analyst, then Harbhajan…he had that bounce, that doosra and could dip the ball.
“And Ashwin for a left-hander or any other batter, he is much more difficult to face because he is far more accurate and difficult because of his speed variations. Harbhajan Singh was more beautiful to watch,” Gambhir said.
R Ashwin will next be seen in action when the second Test between India and Sri Lanka in Bengaluru, starting March 12.
(Star Sports inputs)