Ashish Nehra
Ashish Nehra (Image Credit: Twitter)

Former India fast bowler Ashish Nehra predicted that India might go in the fourth Test against England at the Oval with two spinners including Ravichandran Ashwin and play with one fast bowler short.

He also predicted that only one of either Mohammed Siraj or Ishant Sharma might play at The Oval, but also reiterated that veteran Ishant Sharma shouldn’t be written off based on just his Leeds performance. Ishant went wicketless in Headingley while looking unfit and toothless.

India suffered a bad defeat by an innings and 76 runs in the third Test at Leeds, which brought them to the ground from the highs of an amazing victory at the Lord’s in the second Test match, and experts and fans alike are expecting some big changes in the Indian playing XI.

Ishant Sharma
Ishant Sharma (Image Credits: Twitter)

We Might See Ravichandran Ashwin And One Fast Bowler Short: Ashish Nehra

Ravichandran Ashwin already has a game under his belt at the Oval when he played for Surrey against Somerset in the county championship and picked seven wickets in the match including a six-wicket haul. However, the 42-year-old former pacer said Ashwin’s inclusion would only be a tactical move and not because Ishant looked off-color in a solitary game.

Yeah, the fourth Test match is at the Oval, so I am hoping the way Oval pitch is and the way conditions have been in so many years – everybody knows Oval’s history – we might see Ravichandran Ashwin and one fast bowler short. Either it’s Ishant or either it’s Siraj – only time will tell.

Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin (Image Credit: Twitter)

I am not a big believer that you judge people like Ishant Sharma who has played 100 Test matches on one-one game performances. Yes we have four-five-six good Test bowlers and there is a competition there, but you don’t want to see a new bowler every Test match,” Ashish Nehra said during an online interaction organized by Sony.

Ashwin’s inclusion has also gained traction amongst experts after Ravindra Jadeja suffered a knee injury and had to go for scans after the third Test. Also the Oval surface traditionally known to aid spin, the veteran off-spinner is primed to play his first game of the series.

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