England vs India 2018: Ravichandran Ashwin is Twice as Good as Moeen Ali - Sourav Ganguly

Updated - 10 Jan 2019, 01:12 AM

Ravi Shastri, Sourav Ganguly, Indian National Cricket Team
Sourav Ganguly (Credits - Reuters)

The performance difference between Ravichandran Ashwin and Moeen Ali is more about the perfect synonym for how ‘mindset’ makes a massive difference in the game. Ashwin has completely lost his plot in trying too many while Ali is in simple in his approach to seal the deal for England against India. He was perfect at the Ageas Bowl. Meanwhile, Sourav Ganguly has expressed concern over Ashwin’s variations.

Chennai-based spinner Ashwin yielded results in the first two Tests with his stock deliveries while being the primary weapon. When it comes to the Southampton Test, Ashwin tried too many variations to hurt Team Indian badly.

Moeen Ali, Sourav Ganguly
Moeen Ali proved to be fruitful for hosts. Photo Credits: Getty

Ravichandran Ashwin keeps experimenting unlike Moeen Ali – Sourav Ganguly

The former skipper of India Ganguly said Virat Kohli should take a move towards Ashwin regarding the over usage of his variations. He furtherly mentioned that the patience is the key in achieving success in Test cricket.

Meanwhile, comparing Ali and Ashwin, Ganguly termed Ashwin has got the double skills than Moeen Ali as a spinner. But, he hailed Moeen Ali for his clean approach to the game, unlike Tamil Nadu spinner.

Ravichandran Ashwin, Sourav Ganguly
Ravichandran Ashwin (Photo by Action Foto Sport/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

”Virat Kohli will have to talk to Ashwin about why he looks so impatient. He is bowling six different deliveries in an over. Ability-wise Moeen Ali is not better than Ashwin. Rather Ashwin is twice as good as Ali as a spinner. But Ali keeps his bowling simple. On the other hand, Ashwin keeps experimenting with the doosra, wrong’un and leg-spin rather than utilising the rough. Sometimes in Test cricket, you have to become boring to win matches,” said Ganguly.

 

”The primary reason why Moeen bowls so well against India in England is that there is continuous pressure being applied by Anderson and Co. from the other end. So Moeen gets wickets because batsmen feel that they can release that pressure against him. But when the same Moeen comes to India and realises that he has to be the chief wicket-taker, he is a different bowler altogether,” he added.

England Vs India 2018, Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja has been on the sidelines. Photo Credit: Getty Images.

However, as Sourav Ganguly suggested, Ravichandran Ashwin should look after his variations in the Test cricket. Perhaps, it would have been more useful in the limited-overs format, but when it comes to Test cricket, Ganguly’s suggestion is the worth following as Moeen Ali did for England.

Meanwhile, Ashwin seems to be fighting with the odds to feature in the fifth Test at the Kennington Oval. He has got the fitness concerns, and probably, India might field Ravindra Jadeja in place of him.

Tagged:

Moeen Ali Ravichandran Ashwin Ravindra Jadeja Sourav Ganguly