Ravichandran Ashwin And Ravindra Jadeja Gives India The Best All-Round Balance - Rahul Dravid Feels Both Spinners Can Play Together In England

Former India captain Rahul Dravid opines that Team India can include both R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in its eleven on the tour of England, which comprises of the World Test Championship final against New Zealand and a 5-Test series versus England.

The previous theme of India’s eleven in overseas Test has featured either one of the spinners. However, Rahul Dravid reckons since both the players add immense batting depth and are good enough to be the first-choice spinner, Virat Kohli can play both together alongside three pacers.

Ajinkya Rahane in the Australia Tests – Melbourne and Sydney – played both the spinners together. Both Ashwin and Jadeja are at their peak form with the bat and it would be a big call to leave out any one of them.

“Yeah, why not (Ashwin and Jadeja in XI)? I mean, India has had success with that kind of line-up, and especially with the way Ashwin and Jadeja have been batting at the moment, it gives them the best all-round balance.

“Once Hardik Pandya couldn’t bowl, India didn’t have anyone for that seam-bowling allrounder’s slot. If it’s a good summer and if it gets dry and pitches turn in England as well, India have the option of playing two really good spinners,” Rahul Dravid was quoted by India Today as saying.

“If India wins a couple of good tosses, India will have two really good spinners. It can turn in the UK. They’ll be wary of starting with pitches too damp and too green because of India’s pace-bowling attack.

“So they’ll have to prepare good wickets, and good wickets in England, from my experience of playing there, the sun comes out and if you don’t water the wicket for five days, days four and five, it can turn,” he explained.

This is probably our best chance, maybe say 3-2 to India: Rahul Dravid

The legendary batsman predicts that India could emerge as winners in the Test series against England. Rahul Dravid, under whom India registered its last Test series victory in England in 2007, feels that the visitors have a “very good chance” to clinch the series this time around. The BCCI has announced the 20-man squad plus 4 reserves, and they are expected to depart on June 2.

“I really do think India have a very good chance this time. I just think India will be well-prepared, have the confidence from Australia, there’s lot of belief in the squad. A couple of players have been to England a few times, there’s a lot of experience in the batting order this time around, so this is probably our best chance, maybe say 3-2 to India. I think India will play really well in England this time,” the 48-year-old NCA head believes.

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