'Don't know what Ravichandran Ashwin was doing...' - Kevin Pietersen, Ravi Shastri slam all-rounder's strategy

India’s second innings of the second Test match against England ended at 255 runs as Ravichandran Ashwin was not able to add more runs to the team’s total. No other batsman other than Shubman Gill stood at the crease for long and they were dismissed cheaply. India lost wickets on Day 3 in quick succession, and the lower order failed to add runs. With India eight down for 229 runs, Ashwin was the only batsman left who could have added runs for the team.

Ravichandran Ashwin added 26 runs for the 9th wicket along with Jasprit Bumrah, out of which all the runs were contributed by Ashwin. Bumrah played 26 balls, but at last perished against Tom Hartley for a duck and gave away a catch towards the slips. Ashwin also departed in the very next over of Rehan Ahmed and India set up a score of 398 runs for England to win.

Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri while speaking on air stated that Ravichandran Ashwin played a bizarre knock. Shastri tore into Ashwin and stated that it was difficult to understand. India could have ended way above 430 to 450 at Tea on Day 3 but the batsmen didn’t keep the scoreboard moving.

Former cricketers fume at Ravichandran Ashwin

He said, “It was difficult to understand. If you look at where they were at Tea, India should have aimed at 430-440. Instead, they came out and did not keep the scoreboard moving.”

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen also stated that the Indian team were bossing the game. But, after the Tea session, the innings didn’t go anywhere and the hosts made the game stand still.

He said, “The innings is going absolutely nowhere. India are bossing the game, they are well ahead in the game, but they have made the game stand still.”

Kevin Pietersen further added that the Day 3 of the second Test match went to India. He didn’t understand what was Ravichandran Ashwin doing with the tailenders. Pietersen highlighted that the Indian team was 211/4 and were later wrapped up for 255, and they wasted the opportunity to put England under pressure. India could have ended more than 450 runs.

He said, “Day 3 belonged to India. They did waste their opportunities though. I don’t know what Ashwin was doing with the tail. They were 211 for four before being bowled out for 255. So they wasted the opportunity of drilling England. If they could have gone over 400 or 450, it would have been 100 per cent a result for India.”

England, trailing 399 runs, had a respectable start. After Day 3, England reached 67/1 in 14 overs, with Zak Crawley and Rehan Ahmed unbeaten on 29 and 9 runs respectively. England openers Ben Duckett and Crawley added 50 runs for the first wicket but Duckett fell against R Ashwin for 22 runs.

The Indian bowlers will start the fourth day fresh and want to finish off England as quickly as possible, while the visitors still need 332 runs to win the match. With one game remaining in the five-match series, the Indian team will try to tie the score by winning the Vizag Test match.