Ashwin can decide the outcome of the series with his good performance: Ravi Shastri

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New Delhi | With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 round the corner, spin bowling will undoubtedly play a big role in the four-match series starting February 9 in Nagpur. Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin can decide the outcome of the series if he performs well with both bat and ball. Also, Shastri cautioned Ashwin against flipping his plans while bowling to the Australian batsmen. Along with Ashwin, who has scored 457 runs against them, apart from taking 89 wickets against Australia in Tests. The visitors would loom as a major threat for the team. Also, of the 449 wickets taken by Ashwin in Test cricket, 226 were by left-handers.”
“One thing you don’t want for him is to over-plan. He has been doing pretty well. He should stick with it. He is a really important player in the series. His form will decide the series well,” he added. Could
He further said, if he plays well in both the departments, then it can decide the result of the series. He is a world class player in most conditions. But in Indian conditions they can be fatal. If the ball is turning, he has enough ability to trouble Australia’s batsmen.
Asked whether Australia’s batsmen are thinking too much about Ashwin, former Australia captain Ian Chappell remarked that it would be better for the visiting team to answer the question themselves, adding that they should consider the off-spinner. Have to do your best against.
He further said, why can Ashwin be a threat to him, because he is a smart cricketer. Ashwin sees what is happening with the pitch and the batsmen and bowls accordingly. So, he will continue to be a threat to the whole of Australia and you have to be active against Ravichandran Ashwin.
He said, if you want to know what Australian players think about Ashwin, then ask Australian players. I don’t know what they are thinking about Ashwin. You definitely have to think about a good opponent like Ashwin, but you have to think about being active.
Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will be the first two spin options for India, with competition between Kuldeep Yadav and Akshar Patel for the third spinner. Shastri believes that Kuldeep being a chinaman spinner can give him an edge over Akshar, who has a similar skill set to Jadeja.
India is the current holder of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, having won the last three series against Australia in 2017, 2018-19 and 2020-21. Australia, on the other hand, are aiming to win a Test series in India after the last time they did so in 2004.
–IANS

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