Ashwin is making a case for opening the batting for India: Sunil Gavaskar

Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar looked mighty pleased with the way R Ashwin has been batting. In a recent conversation with the NDTV, the Indian legend mentioned that Ashwin can well be an opener for India. R Ashwin has been constantly getting runs for India in Test cricket. He averages over 45 in this calendar year. Interestingly, he averages more than the Indian openers KL Rahul and Murali Vijay in 2016.

Sunil Gavaskar mentioned that the batting form of Ashwin is a big plus for India. With time, he is evolving as a genuine all-rounder for the Indian team. “He (Ashwin) is making a case of opening the batting for India. The way he has been batting in the last six to eight months, I must say that India has got a reliable all-rounder and that is a huge plus,” quoted Sunil Gavaskar.

Ashwin has already made a mark in the series with constant show with the bat. Fifties from Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Jayant Yadav saw India take a healthy lead of 134 runs in the first innings in the Mohali Test. Gavaskar believes that Ashwin’s brain helped the likes of Jadeja and Yadav bat sensibly. He also praised Jayant Yadav as a good player.

“Ashwin has one of the finest cricketing brains in the game. Under his guidance, Ravindra Jadeja also showed exemplary patience and went on to score big. As far as Jayant is concerned, he looks a fine player to me. He got the opportunity and grabbed it with both the hands,” remarked the former Indian cricketer.

Adding his word of praise for Yadav, Gavaskar mentioned that one needs to do well at domestic level to get the national call up. Jayant Yadav looks mature enough to belong at the highest level. “He looks as if he belongs there. He has been playing domestic cricket for 4-5 years and came into the Indian side by performing well there. You have got to start doing well in the domestic cricket first to expect the India call,” he quoted.