“He was bowling faster than this in the IPL” - R Ashwin slams Indian seamer amid ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test

Former spinner Ravichandran Ashwin questioned Team India debutant Anshul Kamboj's fitness and intensity as his bowling speed considerably dropped on Day 3 of the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford. The right-arm pacer had a tough start to his career on Day 2, but ended on a high with his maiden wicket. However, he could not carry it forward to the next day as England piled on the runs with ease.

Anshul Kamboj had a massive role to play, with both Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj far from their best. The debutant, however, ended the day with dismal figures of 1-89 off his 18 overs in the innings. He even struggled with the second new ball, and mixed things up by having the wicket-keeper upto the stumps. The pacer had created a chance in the 63rd over after Ollie Pope nicked one, but Dhruv Jurel could not hold onto a tough chance.

As the day progressed, Anshul Kamboj's pace drastically plummeted, leading to some alarming signs as both Bumrah and Siraj were also struggling in this regard.

Ravichandran Ashwin, who shared the dressing room with Kamboj for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL), questioned the reason behind such a massive difference.

"I praised Anshul Kamboj yesterday, but I have to say that his bowling speeds were so low, I was quite surprised. I honestly hope he is okay, because he was bowling faster than this in the IPL. He looked like he was struggling a touch. All said and done, the only solution to this (Bowling injuries and inefficiency) is to be able to create a bigger pool of bowlers," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

England had a field day against the struggling Indian bowling unit, which was further aided by optimal batting conditions. Joe Root scored a historic 150 to be the second-highest run scorer in Test cricket history, while the team score at Stumps on Day 3 read 544-7, with a lead of 186 runs.

"He probably would not have got the ball in his hand" - R Ashwin's hilarious take on Kuldeep Yadav's inclusion in ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test

Team India skipper Shubman Gill was slammed for delaying Washington Sundar's introduction into the attack in the first innings. The all-rounder had to wait for 68 overs before being handed the ball, and he responded with a quick double strike to dismiss both Harry Brook and Ollie Pope.

Managing as many as six bowling options has been a tough task for Gill in the last few Test matches. As a result, R Ashwin feels that it is a blessing in disguise that wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav was not considered for the Test, as his turn with the ball might never have come.

"In a way, it is good that they did not play Kuldeep Yadav. Because you already had so many bowlers, Washington came to bowl after 68 overs, maybe Kuldeep would have bowled after the second new ball, he probably would not have got the ball in his hand," Ashwin said.

The six bowlers have had to put together a mammoth shift, but are not even close to bowling out England ahead of Day 4. The hosts have already played out 135 overs, and still have three wickets in hand, including that of skipper Ben Stokes and all-rounder Liam Dawson.