Jadeja should be included in 4th Test if Ashwin is unfit, feels Mohinder Amarnath

Ravichandran Ashwin has been bowling well for India in the ongoing Test series versus England but his injury sustained in the third Test in Nottingham has put a question mark on his appearance in the fourth Test in Southampton. Former Indian cricketer Mohinder Amarnath is of the opinion that left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja should be included in the playing XI if the off-spinner is declared unfit for the crucial match starting August 30. India are trailing 1-2 in the series.

Ashwin started off well in the Test series, taking seven wickets in the first Test in Birmingham but could manage only one wicket in the two Tests thereafter. While the bowling conditions were spinner-unfriendly at Lord’s where England batted only once, he bowled only one over in the first innings of the Trent Bridge Test and got one wicket in the second as India won the encounter by 203 runs.

“Despite his injury, Ashwin will definitely be in the scheme of things for the fourth Test. Should he not be able to play, Ravindra Jadeja is the best bet to replace him,” the former cricketer wrote in his column for the Times of India.
Jadeja played his last Test for India against Afghanistan in June and he took six wickets in the match, one more than Ashwin.

Amarnath all praise for India’s comeback in series & Kohli

Amarnath, who played 69 Tests and 85 ODIs for India between 1969 and 1989, also praised the visitors over their comeback in the third Test to keep the series alive. He also applauded captain Virat Kohli for playing a key role in India’s win.

“It was a remarkable recovery by the Indian team in Nottingham. They showed that they are at par with England and once again it was the captain, Virat Kohli, who played the main role. India were superb as a unit but you can only win when you have runs on the board, so the boys should take a leaf out of the captain’s book,” 67-year-old Amarnath wrote.

The former cricketer, who played an instrumental role in India’s winning the World Cup in 1983, likened Kohli to Viv Richards saying he has never seen someone playing with such authority and consistency.

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