Ravichandran Ashwin Has Conquered Steve Smith So Far In The Test Series: Sachin Tendulkar

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar recently opened up on the much-talked-about duel between Indian champion spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and Australia’s batting spearhead Steve Smith.

Ashwin has been all over Smith in the ongoing Test series, having dismissed him in two innings out of four.

The off-spinner dismissed Steve Smith with a straighter-one in the Adelaide Test, one that squared up the Australian batsman completely as he gave an easy catch to Ajinkya Rahane in the slip cordon.

Then in the Boxing Day Test, Ashwin trapped Smith in the leg-stump ploy. The ball bounced and turned and Smith, in an attempt to flick it, proceeded to give an easy catch to the leg-slip.

*In the first Test, Smith got out to an arm ball or you can call it a straighter which Ashwin releases differently. An off-spinner bowls a straighter which skids off the surface when fingers are not on top of the ball,” Sachin Tendulkar told the Press Trust of India.

“In the second Test, it was not a slider but fingers were on top of the ball which produced bounce and turn. Steve Smith played a normal flick to a regulation off-break that any batsman does by instinct and fielder was brilliantly placed there,” he added.

“It was a well-planned ball and wicket by Ashwin. Both are class players, so someone is going to have a better day and so far, Ashwin has come out winner in the first two Tests.” he said.

Sachin Tendulkar also opened up on the lack of intent shown by the current Australian batting

Tendulkar feels that the current line-up does not look settled as opposed to the ones that he played against, adding that a few of the host batsmen are playing for their respective places in the team.

When I look at this Australian batting line-up and look at some of the earlier line-ups, I feel earlier line-ups were settled ones. Those players batted with a different kind of intent but this team doesn’t look very settled,” Tendulkar said.

“In this current Australian team, there are players who are not in good form and are unsure about their spots. In earlier teams, those batsmen batted in their slots as there was a lot of surety in their batting line-up,” Sachin Tendulkar said.

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