Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin starred with the bat for India on Day 2 of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Mohali.
The spinning all-rounders stitched 130 runs for the seventh wicket to help the hosts pile up a mammoth 574/8 (declared) in their first innings.
While Jadeja stayed unbeaten on 175 off 228 balls (17 fours and 3 sixes), Ashwin played an elegant knock of 61.
Both of them also made a mark with the ball. Ashwin took two wickets whereas Jadeja got the prized scalp of Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne to reduce the visitors to 108/4 at stumps on Day 2.
Talking about their all-round showing, former India opener Gautam Gambhir said the pair deserved to play together more often in away conditions as well.
“I would want to see R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja play together away from home - whether it is South Africa, Australia, New Zealand or England. We say at times that two spinners cannot play together but if you have two such quality spinners and Jadeja can give you quality batting like this at No. 7, then there is no problem in that,” Gambhir said on Star Sports after the day's play.
"To win a Test match you need to pick 20 wickets. Test cricket is not just the game of the first innings and wherever you go, the ball starts turning in the third or fourth innings."
Gambhir said that while the pair can give India an “exceptional attack”, he was critical of Ashwin’s performance on the tour of South Africa earlier this year.
“Ashwin and Jadeja are both bowlers who can bat as well, it can give you an exceptional attack. You can control the game also and give breaks to your fast bowlers as well. Along with that, even if there is a slight help from the pitch, Jadeja and Ashwin can become a lethal combination,” said Gambhir.
“R Ashwin disappointed me a little on the last tour of South Africa because the experience he has and the sort of bowler he is, I would want to see him bowl with an attacking mindset. We have seen two types of Ashwin, the Melbourne spell he bowled was according to me, the best spell by an off-spinner but in South Africa he bowled with an extremely defensive thinking,” he said.
