I'm Not Able To Comprehend What Changed From WTC Final In A Matter Of A Month - VVS Laxman Left Puzzled By Ravichandran Ashwin's Exclusion
Published - 12 Aug 2021, 07:56 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:51 AM
For the second consecutive Test, Ravichandran Ashwin couldn’t find a place in India‘s eleven, skipper Virat Kohli announced at the toss at Lord’s, after the off-spinner warmed the bench at Trent Bridge.
Shardul Thakur, who played the role of a pace-bowling allrounder in Nottingham for the injured Ishant Sharma, was ruled out of the Lord’s Test due to a hamstring injury. Now, with Ishant back fit, Ravichandran Ashwin missed making the cut, as India continued their template of four pacers and a spinning allrounder in Ravindra Jadeja, who hit a brilliant fifty in the first Test.
Speaking after the toss had happened, former India batsman VVS Laxman felt Ravichandran Ashwin should have replaced Thakur, irrespective of the conditions, while Ishant should have come in place of Mohammed Siraj.
Laxman is also left bewildered by the fact that Ravichandran Ashwin was Kohli’s go-to bowler in the WTC final against New Zealand, and suddenly he has been dropped for two straight matches. He reckoned if the skipper continues with this template, the Tamil Nadu off-spinner may not get a single game to play on the tour.
“Ishant Sharma Walks Into the team if he is 100 per cent fit – but that should have been in place of Mohammed Siraj.
“For me, I’m not able to comprehend what changed from the World Test Championship final when Ashwin was your first-choice spinner, and suddenly in a matter of a month, he is not even finding a place in this playing eleven,” Laxman told ESPNcricinfo.
“I feel that four fast bowlers are always a luxury, irrespective of what kind of conditions you are playing, and India have got three quality fast bowlers – whether it’s Siraj or Ishant – and Ashwin adds variety to the bowling attack, and he has got abundance of experience.
“So, I’m not able to comprehend the reasoning behind this decision. So if Ashwin is not playing in these conditions, I don’t see him getting into the playing eleven and I don’t see Virat Kohli changing the template,” he added.
Virat Kohli explains why Ravichandran Ashwin wasn’t selected for Lord’s Test
At the toss, Virat Kohli revealed that Ashwin was in the final 12 for the second Test, but couldn’t make in the eleven. The skipper explained they opted to go with four seamers once again considering the overcast conditions and the grass on the pitch. Joe Root won the toss and elected to bowl first – which also underpins the decision of the Indian management.
Kohli further stated that a four-man pace attack is an “attacking option” which “makes the most sense” in conditions on offer in London. However, the four seamers weaken India’s batting and lengthen the tail.
“We announced 12 within the group and Ashwin definitely was part of that. But after looking at the pitch, the conditions and considering how a fourth seamer can be an attacking option, this makes the most sense for us as a team,” Kohli said at the toss.
