Why it is time to move beyond Ashwin and anoint Jadeja as India’s leading spinner overseas

For a long time, Ravichandran Ashwin has been considered India’s lead spinner in both home and overseas conditions.

But while at home the spin duo of Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have caused havoc to the visiting teams’ batting line ups, in overseas conditions, India have been forced to choose only one of them in the playing XI. The pitches do not suit spin overseas, and having two spinners is a luxury that no team can afford – at least not on most grounds.

Invariably, the Indian team has placed its faith in Ashwin overseas, relegating Jadeja to the bench. And though Ashwin has usually done well overseas in a holding role, where he has given control to the proceedings by bowling a tidy line and not leaking runs, it is as a wicket-taker that he has struggled mightily.

Even in spin-friendly conditions such as Southampton in the fourth Test against England last year, he was out-bowled by a lesser spinner like Moeen Ali. In recent times his batting contribution has not been that great either at the number seven or eight position, where he has played most of the time.

There is no denying that in home conditions, Ashwin is probably the best spinner in the world. But it is an entirely different matter when it comes to his performances overseas, either as a bowler or a batsman.

There is certainly a case for giving the mantle of India’s leading spinner to someone else. And at the moment, the best candidate for that role is Ravindra Jadeja.

In the limited opportunities that he has got so far, Jadeja has not done any worse than Ashwin - when it comes to bowling. However, it is his superior batting and fielding, as seen in the ongoing fourth Test against Australia and the fifth Test against England last year, which should convince the Indian team management to consider him as the lone spinner in overseas conditions.

Ashwin has recently struggled with injury a lot, and his absence has come at crucial times in this series as well as last year’s England series. So all things considered, it is high time that India move beyond Ashwin and anoint Jadeja as the lead spinner overseas.