India captain Virat Kohli heaped praise on the experienced spin all-rounder R Ashwin ahead of the third and final Test against South Africa, starting on Tuesday, January 11 in Cape Town.
Having been impressed by his consistency with both bat and ball in recent years, Kohli said that Ashwin can play the all-rounder's role in any conditions. The skipper further said that Ashwin has filled in the void left by the injured Ravindra Jadeja in an outstanding manner.
Kohli stated: “Jadeja's value everyone understands and what he has done for the team, but I think Ash has been playing that role pretty well for us. Ash knows that his game has come forward by leaps and bounds especially bowling overseas. He understands that himself from Australia onwards.”
Ashwin played a stellar knock of 46 from 50 balls as Team India managed 202 all out in the first innings of the second Test, as well as the off-spinner bagged one wicket in the match.
Kohli added, “If you look at his batting contribution in the last Test and the way he bowled in the second innings I think that's an outstanding contribution to the team. He's in a very comfortable space where he's willing to contribute to the team and he's doing so in the right intention, in the right way.”
Notably, Jadeja had suffered a right forearm injury during the first Test against New Zealand in Kanpur recently, and later, the scans revealed that the all-rounder was diagnosed with a swelling on his forearm, which ruled him out of India’s ongoing tour of South Africa.
Hailing the all-rounders, Kohli insisted that it does not really matter to him when he has either Ashwin or Jadeja at his disposal while saying the latter is doing a brilliant job in the left-hander’s absence.
He signed off by saying, “When you have these two quality cricketers one or the other it really doesn't matter. Unfortunately, Jadeja has had an injury. But Ash has obviously done the job in his absence and we have full faith that Ash can continue to play that role of spinning all-rounder for us in any condition that we play.”
(With PTI Inputs)
