ENG v IND 2021: "I would've played Ashwin"- Shane Warne cites spinning wicket at The Oval

Off-spinner R Ashwin was excluded from the Indian team for the fourth Test against England.

By Swapnil Shireesh Javkhedkar - 03 Sep, 2021

Even though a lot of reports suggested a possible inclusion of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, the Indian team management decided not to include the veteran spinner for the fourth Test match against England at the Kennington Oval in London.

The former Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne was not happy at all with the exclusion of a really good spinner who is only one of the three Indian spinners to have taken over 400 Test wickets and expressed his displeasure when he was on air for doing commentary.

Stubborn it is a terrific word Nasser used. I think it is exactly that. If you look at those two sides and England has got such a more well-balanced team than India do with that tail. I would have played Ashwin.

It is going to turn here, you don't pick a side just for the first innings, it will turn. Plus, he's got five Test hundreds, you're playing a batsman as well as someone who can bowl,Warne said while doing the commentary.

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The legendary leg-spinner has also questioned about the exclusion of the ace off-spinner in the second Test match which was played at Lord’s.

A spinner turning the game!!!! Surprise, surprise, this is why you always play a spinner no matter what the conditions! Remember you don’t pick a team just for the first innings. Spin to win,” the 51-year-old wrote on Twitter.

As far as the fourth Test match of this series is concerned, England after bowling out India for 191, found themselves in a bit of trouble as the scoreboard reads 53/3 with opener Burns (5), Hameed (0) along with skipper Joe Root (21) back in the dressing room.

Thus, it will be exciting to see how both teams go about on the second day of this Test match with the series well poised at 1-1.

(With India Today Inputs)

By Swapnil Shireesh Javkhedkar - 03 Sep, 2021

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