ENG vs IND 2018: It was good to see Ravichandran Ashwin set up Alastair Cook at Edgbaston, says John Emburey

Ashwin bowled Cook twice while defending at Edgbaston.

John Emburey is mighty impressed with Ravichandran Ashwin.

Former England spinner John Emburey has said that he absolutely loves watching the Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin go about his business and lavishing praise on man, gone on to say that it was wonderful to see the way Ashwin set up Alastair Cook in the first game at Edgbaston. 

Ashwin got match figures of 7/121 in Birmingham and his two pieces of brilliance against England's premier red-ball batsman Cook, were one of the highlights of what was a great Test match. 

Talking about Ashwin, John Emburey said, “Ashwin bowls from the front of the hand, bowls orthodox spin, undercuts deliveries; he also has got the one that goes the other way, like a doosra. He has got varieties and good change of pace. He has become a world class player.” and added, “It was good to see the way Ashwin set up (Alastair) Cook in the first innings at Edgbaston. It was brilliant cricket leading up to that dismissal.”

Emburey, who has been watching the game a lot, also gave his insight into the wrist-spin versus finger-spin debate that has been going around the cricket world these days. 

“For finger spinners, it has made things a little harder. It’s no longer about length and line. It is about bowling four and five different deliveries in an over, and mixing it up so the batsman doesn’t get used to one type of delivery,” he said and added, “A good finger spinner is still worth his place. We have seen Nathan Lyon, Ravi Ashwin and occasionally Ravindra Jadeja, on right pitches. Rangana Herath, he gets wickets everywhere. Days of orthodox spinners like myself are limited. I was not a big spinner and had to rely on control. Graeme Swann proved a match-winner because he spun the ball a lot more, bringing the short-leg and slip into play.”

(Inputs from Hindustan Times)

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 11 Aug, 2018

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