ENG vs IND: Twitter dejected spotting Ravichandran Ashwin sitting all alone at The Oval

Ashwin has remained on the benches for four consecutive encounters in the five-Test series so far.

By Pratyay Tiwari

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Ravichandran Ashwin
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Ravichandran Ashwin. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s continuous non-inclusion from the Indian playing XIs in the Pataudi Trophy has been the focal point of discussion over the last month. Ashwin, a part of the 20-member squad named by the BCCI for the current series, participated in the World Test Championship final against New Zealand in Southampton in June, which remains his only participation in the entire two-month tour.

Notably, the off-spinner played a county fixture for Surrey against Somerset at the venue of the fourth Test (The Oval) when he bagged 6/27, making the case for his inclusion even stronger. Although, India’s template of fielding four pacers alongside a lone spinner has meant that Ashwin has continued to warm the benches and is yet to feature in the series, with only one encounter in Manchester to go.

While India continued to prefer Ravindra Jadeja over Ashwin for the initial three encounters, the latter’s exclusion for the fourth time on the trot raised more eyebrows than ever before owing to the spin-friendly reputation of the venue. In the County Championship this season at the Oval, 899.5 overs of spin bowling have reaped 59 wickets at an average and strike rate of 27.77 and 58.10, respectively: the best spin record for any venue; while spin averages 29.10 at The Oval since in Tests played since 2015: the best spin average amongst all England venues.

Aloof Ashwin

A veteran of 79 Tests, Ashwin is India’s third-leading wicket-taker amongst spinners after Anil Kumble (619) and Harbhajan Singh (417) and has been in fine red-ball form, which includes notable recent performances against Australia during India’s historic triumph Down Under in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21 (12 wickets in three Test), followed by a 32-wicket home series against England earlier this year.

All of the abovementioned notwithstanding, the World No.2 Test bowler continues to remain on the sidelines, with a nefarious possibility of not participating in any of the five Tests of the series looming over his head.

Meanwhile, at The Oval, Ashwin was spotted sitting aloof in the stands when the proceedings of the fourth day were underway. Although it was a casual moment, the empty chairs around him seemed an apt metaphorical representation of the situation arguably the finest red-ball spinner in world cricket currently finds himself in. Twitter, of course, had to react, and it did.

 

 

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