India vs South Africa 2019: Can Ravichandran Ashwin make a strong case for himself this home season?

It was not too long ago that Ravichandran Ashwin was India’s go-to man as far as Test cricket was concerned. He was an automatic selection in the playing XI due to his consistency and effectiveness, especially on slow turners.

But a spate of injuries, lack of form and the growth and rise of Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja have put Ashwin on the sidelines.

The tall off-spinner from Tamil Nadu will next appear in India’s team for the home season starting against South Africa. There’s no doubt the 32-year-old spinner is still very threatening and potent in home conditions, but question marks still linger around his place in the XI.

The primary reason for the shift from Ashwin to Kuldeep and Jadeja was the premier spinner’s ineffectiveness in overseas conditions. He was not able to provide control and hold one end up for Virat Kohli when playing outside Asia or sub-continent conditions, and that worked against him.

However, Ashwin has grown exponentially as an all-rounder in the past 15-18 months. His solid technique with the bat has meant he has contributed at least 30-40 runs in most innings, both at home and away.

R Ashwin with the bat

The year 2016 saw Ashwin blossoming into a fine batsman as he scored 612 runs in 12 games at a very impressive average of 43.41 including two centuries and four fifties. He hasn't looked back since.

As Ashwin has vastly improved as an all-rounder, the selectors have decided to back him and Ravindra Jadeja to add some important runs down the order, apart from bowling lots of overs.

Ashwin's growth has ensured that he has pipped Hardik Pandya for the all-rounder's position against the Proteas.

It was a good move taken by the BCCI to send Ashwin to play county cricket for Nottingamshire this season. In four games for the county side, he grabbed 32 wickets at an average of 20.81 with four five-wicket hauls and one 10-wicket haul. He also scored 259 runs at a solid average of 37 with two fifties.

R Ashwin will be looking to make the most of the home season

68% of Ashwin’s total tally of 342 wickets in Test cricket have come in home conditions. In comparison, he has taken only 108 wickets in overseas conditions at a considerable higher average of 31.40 (compared to 22.69 at home.) His strike-rate also nosedives from a wicket every 49.21 balls in Indian conditions to 63.49 in games played outside.

With age and injuries not helping his cause, it’s fair to say this home season holds enormous significance in the tall off-spinner’s career. Jadeja was preferred as the frontline spinner in the recently concluded series against West Indies owing to his consistency and control on such pitches. But the door will be slightly more ajar in the home seaosn.

With India expected to play two frontline spinners and maybe even three in the games that would be played in Pune and Ranchi, Ashwin has three games to re-establish his credentials as a world-class bowler in Indian conditions.

His overseas record can't be shrugged away that easily, but what he can do is to make the opportunities that come to him count. He must perform well both with the bat and ball in the upcoming Test series, and that will infuse confidence in the team management to give him another go when India play outside home conditions in the near future.

The stage is set for Ashwin. The question now is: can he replicate his subcontinent form into strong returns overseas? He would be raring to go when India take on South Africa at Vizag from 2 October onwards; it's territory where he is at his best, and he certainly would want to test the Proteas on spin friendly home pitches.

Follow Sportskeeda for all the updates on India vs South Africa head to head, India vs South Africa schedule 2019, news, results, points table, most runs, most wickets and fantasy tips.