'We need fighters like him in the team' - Farokh Engineer wants Ravi Ashwin in the XI for the third Test

Former Indian wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer has backed Ravichandran Ashwin’s selection in the third Test between England and India to be held at the Headingley Cricket Ground in Leeds, starting on August 25. During a recent interaction, Engineer also claimed that Ashwin was supposed to play at Lord’s, which is also something the spinner had said on his YouTube channel. 

Despite being India’s number one spinner, Ashwin has been so far ignored on the England tour. Captain Virat Kohli and the team management have been firm with their selection of four seamers which so far has paved the way for the team’s success. The plan of having an extra seamer has worked well for India so far but Engineer believes that the Tamil Nadu spinner should be back in the XI for the third Test. 

Engineer explained that it was due to rain early on day one which prevented India from going for Ashwin. “The thing is Ashwin was due to play at Lord’s, from what I have heard. I am not privy to inside information about team tactics. But it rained, conditions became cloudy. When the conditions become cloudy, pacers are preferred. So we made the right decisions,” he said in an interview with Sports Tak.

We need fighters like him in the team: Farokh Engineer on Ravichandran Ashwin

Engineer further said that there was a time during the Lord’s Test where India would have left that they needed Ashwin. He further affirmed his point by suggesting that the off-spinner should play with three pacers in the Leeds’ Test. He highlighted the fact that Ashwin is a world-class bowler and also a very good batsman. 

“But at one time we may have been thinking that we should have played Ashwin. At Headingley, we should play three pacers and Ashwin. Because we will get more variety. Don’t forget, Ashwin is a very good all-rounder. He is a world class-bowler, but he is also a very good batsman. And he is a fighter. We need fighters like him in the team,” Engineer added. 

Ashwin’s bowling has been top quality in the last six months as it has been the case right through his career. But, one of the things which have been praised a lot about him in recent times is his batting. In Australia, he managed to save a Test match for India by batting out in Sydney. On his return to India, he smashed a century against England, his fifth Test ton.