Jack Leach Keen To Learn From Axar Patel And Ravichandran Ashwin

England left-arm spinner Jack Leach might have done exceptionally well in his first India tour as a frontline spin-bowler; however, it has not consistently contributed to victories. At the end of the third Test between the two sides, India lead the four-match rubber by 2-1. Hence, inspired by Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel, Jack Leach aims to learn from them.

Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel have ran through England’s batting line-up in the last two Tests as the visitors struggled after scoring heavily in the opening match. Axar Patel, who debuted in the second Test, already has three fifers and provided India with the control and wicket-taking option. England have not reached 200 since the first innings of the first Test in Chennai.

Jack Leach underlined that when seeing Ravichandran Ashwin, who has plenty of experience under his belt and reached 400 scalps along with Axar Patel having a dreamy start to Tests, one tries to learn from them. The 29-year old observed that Ashwin is quite clever regarding changing his seam position. Leach stated that while the off-spinner gets the ball to land on the same spot, it hits the seam uniquely and reacts differently.

“When you see players having so much success, like Ravichandran Ashwin, who has just got to 400 Test wickets and has a lot of experience in India, and Axar Patel, who has had a great start to Test cricket, of course, you try to learn from them. Ashwin is very clever in how he changes his seam position; he’ll bowl to the same spot but the way it gets there and whether it hits the seam or hits the lacquer varies and the ball reacts very differently,” Leach stated as quoted by Sky Sports.

Jack Leach talks about Axar Patel’s effectiveness on sub-continent pitches:

The Somerset spinner added that Axar Patel, who presents the ball the same way, a squarish seam, and a few to skid on while the odd one grips. Hence, Jack Leach feels that those have been effective in the sub-continent tracks.

“Then Axar is someone who seems to present every ball the same, a squarish seam, then a few skid on and the odd one grips – that has been so effective on the wickets we’ve played on,” he added.

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