Veteran wicketkeeper and commentator Dinesh Karthik believes R Ashwin hasn’t performed well in the ongoing Test series against England in India. The fourth Test match is presently taking place at the Jharkhand State Cricket Association Stadium in Ranchi.
R Ashwin, despite reaching a milestone of 500 wickets in the previous Test, is struggling in the current series against England. He hasn’t been among the top three wicket-takers and has only taken 12 wickets so far. This is a concern for India, especially as their main spinner hasn’t been able to take multiple wickets in an innings. Meanwhile, England’s newcomer, Tom Hartley, is leading the series with 18 wickets.
Dinesh Karthik Slammed R Ashwin By Comparing Him To England’s Inexperienced Spinners
Dinesh Karthik, speaking on CricBuzz, mentioned that Ravichandran Ashwin hasn’t performed at his best in this series in India. However, he highlighted Kuldeep Yadav’s positive contributions for the home team. Karthik also noted that Ravindra Jadeja’s performance has been inconsistent.
DK praised England’s inexperienced spinners for their better bowling in the ongoing Test. Additionally, Karthik pointed out that it’s unusual for Ashwin to go four matches without taking four or five wickets in Test cricket. He said:
“The inexperienced England spinners have definitely bowled better than Indian spinners in this Test. Speaking about each spinner, Kuldeep has been a positive for India, Jadeja has not been consistent but yes, R Ashwin has definitely not had his best series in India. It’s not often that you can go four Test matches in India without an Ashwin fifer or a four-fer,”
Further, Dinesh Karthik added that the English spinners have outperformed their Indian counterparts in this five-match series. The England spinners have garnered praise throughout this series, with Tom Hartley emerging as their top spinner. Making his Test debut in Hyderabad, Hartley has taken the most wickets in the series, currently standing at 18.
DK added: “Going from what has happened, you have to say that English spinners have done better than Indian spinners in this series. This is the first time they’re travelling to India. It’s like a completely inexperienced medium or fast-bowling attack going to Australia or England and doing better than their fast-bowlers,”
In the upcoming second innings at Ranchi, there will be considerable anticipation surrounding R Ashwin’s performance. Joe Root led England’s batting charge in the first innings, crafting a splendid century and anchoring the innings effectively. Root’s unbeaten 122 off 273 deliveries, inclusive of 10 fours, propelled England to a total of 353 runs. Meanwhile, India finds themselves in a precarious position with 7 wickets down and still trailing by over 100 runs.
From Chennai to the cricketing cosmos, @ashwinravi99‘s journey to 500 Test wickets is a saga of grit, guile, and unrivaled skill. A monumental achievement that cements his legacy in the annals of cricketing history.
Bravo, Ashwin!#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/R7hNC7QV9M— DK (@DineshKarthik) February 16, 2024
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