ENG v IND 2018: WATCH – Ravichandran Ashwin gives insight about his spin spectacle on Day 1 at Edgbaston

Ashwin claimed 4 for 60 to reduce England to 285/9 at stumps on Day 1.

Ashwin got rid of Alastair Cook with a beauty | Getty

India restricted England to 285/9 at stumps on Day 1 at Edgbaston, courtesy a brilliant bowling performance from Ravichandran Ashwin. The off-spinner produced one of his most impactful performances outside the sub-continent, registering his best figures (4/60) in Test cricket across South Africa, England and Australia as the hosts lost six wickets for 69 runs in the final session.

Speaking to India’s bowling coach Bharat Arun after the end of first day’s play for BCCI website, Ashwin gave insight about his spin spectacle. The seasoned offie revealed the hard yards he put on ahead of this high-profile Test series.

“When I came here [England] for the county stint last year, one thing I released was the speed at which spinners had to bowl here. The wickets are extremely slow even on the first day. You can have a bit of bounce but if the pace is not right the batsmen get a lot of time to play the same ball on the front and the backfoot,” Ashwin said.

“Even over the last 12-18 months, I have spent a lot of time back home playing club cricket and all that sort of stuff. I have been working on simplifying my action a bit and make sure i can get more body into the ball. Hence, try and create something in the air and that’s what I did and it worked really well,” he added.

Ashwin drew the first blood for India as he knocked over Alastair Cook’s off stump with a peach of a delivery. In the final session, he got rid of Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Stuart Broad to record the best figures by an India spinner on Day 1 in England.

Recalling his conversation with Bharat Arun and head coach Shastri about a year ago as how he wanted to take the wicket out of equation and get things done in the air, Ashwin said: “We have always spoken about having to take the wicket out of the equation especially with how good the wickets are in the modern day and the modern day batsmen are actually enjoy playing on these wickets.”

“I think to a larger extent that particular thing of doing batsman in the air is something I have consciously worked upon. But what happens when you try to do the batsman in the air is body sometimes just gives up. You are just a touch short or touch fuller so in one of those persuade I thought simplifying my action was important,” he explained.

Watch the video here:

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 02 Aug, 2018

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