Former Indian cricketer and cricket expert Aakash Chopra shared his insights on the spin-bowling combination of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, stressing that this combination might not be the most effective strategy for Team India.
His comments came after India won the first match of the three-match ODI series by five wickets against Australia at the PCA Stadium in Mohali on Friday, September 22.
Chopra admitted that both Jadeja and Ashwin showcased economical bowling performances in Mohali, even though the off-spinner faced a challenging start against Australia. However, Chopra believes that the tandem of Jadeja and Ashwin might not be the ideal choice for India.
He claimed that the Indian team needs bowlers who can consistently break partnerships and take wickets during the middle overs.
Notably, Ashwin conceded 47 runs in his quota of 10 overs but managed to secure the crucial wicket of Marnus Labuschagne, whereas Jadeja caught the big fish in the form of David Warner in his allotted 10 overs and conceded 51 runs in the first ODI against Australia.
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Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel, “The spinners bowled economical spells. Ashwin did not start well; he was hit for a few boundaries. But he was playing ODI cricket after a while, so it can get difficult. However, he bounced back strongly and also claimed a wicket. Ravindra Jadeja was also economical, which is a good thing when the pitch is flat.”
He added, “My only concern is Jadeja and Ashwin bowling in tandem doesn’t work. If it was working, the team wouldn’t have looked in a different direction many years back. India moved away from the duo since they needed spinners who take wickets in the middle overs.”
Chopra signed off by saying, “Suddenly, you leave that trajectory and move in a different direction. The purpose of the change is then defeated. You need wickets in the middle overs. Australia were ordinary with the bat, but we need more wickets in the middle overs.”
