India’s premier off-spinner, R Ashwin, has admitted that it was not easy to get wickets in Mohali after Team India won the first Test by an innings and 222 runs against Sri Lanka on Sunday (March 6).
The veteran spinner snared six wickets in the opening Test of the ongoing two-match Test series to help the hosts comprehensively beat Sri Lanka in Mohali. During the Test, Ashwin became India's second most successful bowler in Test cricket with 436 Test scalps in his 85 Tests.
The 35-year-old Ashwin went past the legendary Kapil Dev's 434 Test scalps after he dismissed Charith Asalanka in Sri Lanka's second innings. He is only behind the legendary spinner Anil Kumble, who tops the chart with 619 scalps, which he claimed in 132 Test matches.
After his impressive outing in Mohali, Ashwin said that it was not easy to get wickets in the first Test and he had to bowl tight for sustained periods to get the wicket. He conceded 96 runs for 6 wickets.
Ashwin said after the match: “The surface was a really good one, it was not easy to get batters out when they were defending. You had to bowl tight for sustained periods. I think Shami and Jasprit created pressure from the end where it wasn't turning much.”
He also lauded all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja who won player of the match for scoring unbeaten 175 and taking nine wickets in the match against Sri Lanka in Mohali.
Ashwin said: “I think he has really come a long way in the last four-five years. The number he is batting is a bit low in my opinion. His batting has gone one notch higher. He knows what he is doing and it reflects in the way he is batting. In between, we both realized that Jayant Yadav hasn't bowled a lot and someone who is going to be the third spinner, Rohit also gave him a few overs.”
He concluded, “Sometimes it's not that easy being the third spinner in the side and it's important to look after. Jaddu was magnanimous in giving the ball away. Sometimes I get ahead of myself with the bat but I have worked on things was looking to take one ball at a time.”
(With PTI Inputs)
