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Dale Steyn believes Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin might be the 'biggest key for India' in their upcoming five-Test series in England. The South African great wants both sides to think innovatively and not emphasise only on seamers, though.
In a column for ESPNCricinfo, Dale Steyn highlighted the importance of spin bowling against teams like England and Australia, who tend to struggle against quality tweakers.
“Maybe it’s out-of-the-box thinking here from me, but I think we’re putting a lot of emphasis on the seamers when someone like R Ashwin might be the biggest key for India. As these five Test matches go on, I think spin will be the difference."
"Ashwin is the kind of bowler who bowls tons and tons of overs. Teams like England and Australia, who are so good at playing seamers and seamer-friendly conditions, don’t tend to play spin particularly well. So Ashwin might be the biggest trump card that India have going forward,” wrote Dale Steyn.
With 413 Test wickets in his kitty, Ravichandran Ashwin, the second-ranked bowler in the ICC Test Rankings, has played seven Tests in England, claiming 18 wickets at an average of 28.11.
He has also become more acquainted with bowling with the Duke ball in his outings in the County Championship. Earlier this month, Ashwin starred with a six-wicket haul for Surrey against Somerset.
India-England series could end up as a fight between spinners: Dale Steyn
Dale Steyn also hopes, like the visitors, England could think of a similar strategy with spin. He wonders if the battle of the spinners on both sides could decide the series. Though English conditions aren’t conducive to spin, great spinners have found success in the country.
Derek Underwood, Jim Laker, Tony Lock and Shane Warne found success in England. In more recent times, finger spinners like Graeme Swann, Monty Panesar, Nathan Lyon and Moeen Ali have found reasonable success in the country.
“Can they (England) find somebody who can spin out Rishabh Pant? So it might be the fight of who the better spinners are in the series,” Dale Steyn wrote further.
In India’s 2018 tour of England, Moeen Ali spun a web around the visitors in Southampton. The off-spinning all-rounder’s nine-wicket haul in the fourth Test helped England seal the series. Even in 2014, Moeen Ali claimed a six-for against India at the same venue.
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