When India clobbered Pakistan to clinch a 124-run victory over their arch-rivals in their opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy, almost every strategy adopted by captain Virat Kohli worked seamlessly. He played three fast bowlers and one extra batsman. The team management even decided to drop their premium off-spinner.
Cut to four days later: India played the same XI against a wobbly-looking Sri Lankan side. What transpired after was a sheer belting of the Indian bowlers by the Sri Lankan batsmen, all of whom seemed to be possessed by a lingering spirit of Sanath Jayasuriya’s fiery 122 on the same ground almost eleven years back.
Every Indian tactic misfired, every strategy was cut off at its root. The three fast bowlers couldn’t bowl yorkers, the extra batsman was wasted and the seasonal off-spinner was missed.
Such is the game of cricket, things that seem gold for one match can be tarnished within seconds in the next.
Now, as India face a knock-out encounter against South Africa on Sunday (June 11), they have to play (and choose) their cards with extreme caution. Ravi Ashwin can be an ace in Kohli’s hands right now, and you would hope the Indian captain does not choose to fold.
Here are five reasons why Ashwin should be included in the playing XI for this tacit quarter-final:
#1 Perfectly suited to take wind out of South African sails
South Africa’s biggest strength is their strong, long and internally contrasting batting line up. They have unique batsmen, each of whom requires a different set of skills to overpower. With Ashwin, India will gain a spinning option: an option that, with a little help from the pitch, can take the ball away from the left-hander.
South Africa has six left-handed batsmen.
That makes for more than half of the team. They include Quinton de Kock, who’s being touted to be the biggest threat to India’s chances as well as JP Duminy and David Miller, who will be crucial to the finishing punch packed in their effort with the willow.
This was a trick that India missed against Sri Lanka, where Ravindra Jadeja’s left-arm spin proved to be conducive to reinforcing the confidence of the southpaws of the team. And mind you, just like South Africa, they have quite a few of them on their side.
#2 Cool and calm, yet competitive
The best thing about Ashwin is not his off-breaks, but the calm head sported by his shoulders. The head that pivots him to bowl those very deliveries. Saying that the South Africa match is crucial will be an understatement. The equation is pretty simple though: winner goes through, loser goes home.
In a high-pressure situation like this, those not deterred in their focus come out victorious. They require patience and an ability to remain tranquil in high-octane scenarios.
Ashwin has that quality in spades, and plenty beyond. He comes from the Rahul Dravid school of aggression, where aggression isn’t displayed. It is directed: directed into seamlessly good performances.
India require someone who will bat, bowl and field with equilibrium throughout the strenuous encounter and the 30-year-old fits that requirement like a glove!
#3 One batsman too many
A couple of years back, MS Dhoni was the only ‘real’ finisher in the Indian ODI team. If and when he got out, what followed next was a sorry tale of the Indian tail. Pertaining to keeping his wicket safe, the then Indian skipper started playing a relatively slow and cautious game, while losing out some of his naturally offensive stroke-play.
However, that is not the case today. In the last two games, India had four batsmen after Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Yuvraj Singh and Kohli (all of whom are in great touch, BTW). Hardik Pandya, Kedar Jadhav and Ravindra Jadeja are now crammed into the role of the ‘finisher’ with Dhoni.
Unsurprisingly, Jadeja the batsman was wasted in both the games.
This batting slot can be turned into a bowling position if Ashwin comes in place of any one of these batsmen. It was not lack in batting depth that cost India a match against Sri Lanka, it was the middle overs of the Sri Lankan innings, where the bowlers were pelted by the Sri Lankan batters.
Ashwin brings in a bowling option that will not only contain runs but will scalp a couple of decisive wickets in the middle-over-crisis that Kohli’s men are currently suffering from.
#4 Impressive numbers racked up in England
The cricketers who perform in testing, foreign conditions are always considered to be on the highest pedestal of the sport. Ashwin, whose career bowling average in One Day Internationals is 32.37, has some really solid numbers in England to back his potential selection in the next same.
His average is as good as 24.09 in English conditions, while managing to scalp 21 wickets in the 14 matches that he has played there. It gets even better. The last time Ashwin bowled in ODI cricket in England in 2015, he picked up 9 wickets in the 5-match series. Oh and also, he also managed to hold on to 5 catches in those 5 games.
He has 4 wickets in two matches at the Oval, where the India-South Africa game is scheduled to be played.
#5 Promising performance in the warm-up games
In the limited overs that Ashwin got in the two warm-up games played by India before the tournament hit the stage, he managed to come up with an extremely sorted display. He bowled 7 overs and took 2 wickets in the process.
The warm-up match against Bangladesh, which was played at The Oval again, saw Ashwin bowl just one over. However, he dismissed one batsman in those 6 deliveries and conceded just 2 runs. He sent Mitchell Santner back to the pavilion in India’s clash against New Zealand. Do not forget, Santner is a left-handed batsman!
This performance in the warm-up games is enough to advocate for the fact that Ashwin’s injury hiatus, which kept him away from the Indian Premier League 2017, has not resulted in him losing his touch.
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