Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin (Image Credit: Twitter)

Former Indian cricketer Farokh Engineer mentioned India should try out the combination of three pacers and one spinner at Headingly to add more variety into the bowling attack. So far, Virat Kohli has gone in with four seamers and it has paid off really well with all of them contributing to the wickets column.

R Ashwin was one of the talking points as the number two ranked bowler has been kept out of the playing XI despite being in outstanding form and such has been the impact created by the quicks. The Headingley pitch hasn’t suited spinners and India is likely to stick in with the same combination throughout the series.

Farokh Engineer
Farokh Engineer. (Credits: Web)

Farokh Engineer Explains Why Ashwin Dint Play At Lord’s

Farokh Engineer explained that it was all set for Ashwin to come into the playing XI at Lord’s until the rain came and the clouds starting to make their entry. He reckoned that India had made the right decision at the time by opting for a pacer rather than a spinner according to the conditions.

“The thing is Ashwin was due to play at Lord’s, from what I have heard. I am not privy to inside information of team tactics. But it rained, conditions became cloudy. When the conditions become cloudy, pacers are preferred. So we made the right decisions,” Farokh Engineer said in an interview with Sports Tak.

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Ravi Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin. (Credits: Twitter)

Farokh Engineer Backs Ashwin’s All Round Skills

Farokh Engineer mentioned that the experts wondered if Ashwin could have played in the Lord’s Test after Moeen Ali’s extracting some spin in the second innings. He revealed the all-around skills of Ashwin recalling the century he hit against England in February and termed him a world-class bowler. He opted for Ashwin to come into the XI to add more variety and also for his fighting nature.

“But at one time we may have been thinking should we have played Ashwin. At Headingley, we should play three pacers and Ashwin. Because we will get more variety. Don’t forget, Ashwin is a very good all-rounder. He is a world class-bowler, but also he is also a very good batsman. He got a brilliant hundred in Australia* (Ashwin scored a hundred against England in India). And he is a fighter. We need fighters like him in the team.” He added

Ravichandran Ashwin, ICC World Test Championship
Ravichandran Ashwin (Image Credit: Twitter)

Ravichandran Ashwin picked up a six-wicket haul in the last county game he played for Surrey a month ago.

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