India is scheduled to tour Australia for four-Tests, 3 T20Is and 3 ODIs starting with the T20I series on 21st November and the first Test will start in Adelaide from December 6. The other three Tests are scheduled to be played at Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney.
With a strong bowling lineup that India possesses this time, which picked 20 wickets almost every time on the Test tour in England. This bowling lineup also picked 20 wickets in every Test on the tour to South Africa and it was the batting failure that led to India losing the Test series 1-2 against Proteas and 1-4 against England.
The biggest failure was the bowling of Indian spinners on pitches outside India. India preferred to play just one spinner in the majority of matches on both the tours and that spinner was R Ashwin. Though Ravindra Jadeja came good in the only Test he played in England, Ashwin was preferred to either Jadeja or Kuldeep in England.
Against South Africa, Ashwin played two Tests and picked 7 wickets with a best of 4/113 and was rendered ineffective by the pitches and his inability to get anything out of those pitches.
In England, Ashwin did pick seven wickets in the first Test match, but then picked up an injury and lost all his form. In the fourth Test at Southampton, India lost to the spin of Moeen Ali on a turning wicket, where he picked 9 wickets as compared to Ashwin’s three. Ashwin sort of fizzled out after the first Test and his decision to keep playing with an injury, made things worse for him.
Now with Ashwin coming good against West Indies on home pitches, the big question arises is whether he should be included in the upcoming tour to Australia in the Test team or not?
The answer is a big NO. And we have some reasons as to why R Ashwin is not suited for the Australia Test series.
We take a look at 3 reasons why R Ashwin should not be picked for the Australian Test series:
