Ravichandran Ashwin felt India could have used the spinners in a more calculative way in the ongoing Test series against England. While Ravindra Jadeja was the lone spinner to play all the Test matches, Washington Sundar played in three.
Wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav warmed benches in all five games, something that raised few eyebrows.
Ashwin’s remarks came after Gill used spin in just eight out of 76.2 overs in the England’s second innings. The Tamil Nadu cricketer, who retired from the game midway into the Border-Gavaksar Trophy, Gill and Gambhir’s lack of game awareness made the difference in the series.
“Coming back to the topic of spinners not being used, I have felt in this series that there has been a lack of game awareness and, in many ways, our tactical acumen – both on and off the field. This is the main reason why England are ahead in this series and India are behind. We haven’t been the sharpest,” Ashwin said on Ash Ki Baat – his YouTube channel.
Chasing 374 runs to win in the fourth innings, England started the fourth day on 50/1. They lost Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope early on the day before a 195-run stand between Harry Brook and Joe Root turned the game into England’s favour.
However, India came back into the game in the final session of play after both Brook and Root departed. England required 35 runs to win, when bad light and rain stopped play at the Oval on Day 4. India need three wickets, if injured Chris Woakes doesn’t come out to bat.
Shubman Gill misses opportunity to use spinners
The 38-year-old felt that Gill missed the right moment to introduce spinners in the Oval Test, especially against Brook and Root. “I feel Shubman Gill will get much better as a captain. He will learn. But sometimes, if you feel that you can play spin really well, you might not bring spinners into the attack.
And when you miss the right moment to introduce spinners in these conditions, they become a defensive option,” added Ashwin. When Harry Brook started taking it on, after 20 runs, you could have brought on the spinner to choke the run flow. From the other end, a pacer could have bowled. With all this in mind, Washington Sundar could have been introduced earlier into the attack,” he stated.
“Making these mistakes creates a huge gap. We don’t know whether the message is going from outside to the middle. We don’t know what’s being discussed in the dressing room. But in today’s day and age, these mistakes can definitely be avoided,” Ashwin added.
With new batters Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton in the middle, India will go all out with their three-man pace attack of Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. Despite the target be small, pressure will be on the England players to get over the line.