R Ashwin has had remarkable success in the Indian conditions, having taken 34 wickets in four Tests but he needs to show similar consistency abroad if he were to be regarded as a complete bowler.
Ravichandran Ashwin continued from where he left in Mumbai against the West Indies last November. He came up with a match-winning 12 for 85 against New Zealand guiding India to an innings and 115-run victory in the first Test here.
In four Tests at home, since his debut a year ago, the 25-year-old has picked up 34 wickets @ 37.6. He has emerged as the lead spinner following Harbhajan Singh’s ouster from the side. Ashwin handled the responsibility with great success in his maiden series against the West Indies.
However, in not-so-spin friendly conditions of Australia, Ashwin came up with a mediocre performance. In the three Tests that he played Down Under, he managed only nine wickets with a scalp every 112 deliveries. He was still the third-most successful bowler, behind Zaheer Khan (15) and Umesh Yadav (14) with both playing in all the four Tests.
Harbhajan, the man whom he replaced, has a worse strike rate of 126, picking up nine wickets in four Tests over two tours (2003-04 and 2007-08). Anil Kumble managed a wicket every 11 overs (49 wickets in 10 Tests in Australia). For the record, former off-spinning greats EAS Prasanna took 31 wickets in eight Tests in Australia (82.6 strike rate) while S Venkataraghavan had only two wickets in the only Test he played there.
Ashwin regained his confidence with a dozen against the hapless Kiwis and is set to play a vital role, in the company of Pragyan Ojha, in India’s campaign against England and Australia later in the season. While Ashwin took 60 per cent of the New Zealand wickets to fall, Ojha’s efforts of six scalps in the secondary role should not be discounted. The two have combined to take 60 wickets in the four Tests they have played together in India.
After tasting enormous success at home, there was a lot of expectation from Ashwin when India toured Australia last season. That the tall bowler from Chennai did not make good use of the bounce, which he relies on to take wickets, was held against him as India lost one Test after another. But Ashwin’s failure was not the only reason for India’s 0-4 thrashing in Australia.
However, Ashwin will not be regarded as a complete bowler until he carries on with the same venom and comes up with match-winning performances outside the subcontinent. A lot will be expected from Ashwin, who enjoys a special rapport with fellow-spinner Ojha. Ashwin said on Sunday, “Ojha is someone whom I have played with since I was 16 and we have always enjoyed each other’s company. We always used to bowl well together because we used to build pressure very well. Due credit needs to be given to him. When one spinner starts to take wickets, the other spinner can get carried away and doesn’t really bog the batsman down.”
It is a given that India will play only one spinner outside the subcontinent and that Ashwin will be the preferred one. A continued run until February-March 2013, when Australia come over, will only give Ashwin and Ojha the confidence to extend their winning partnership overseas, especially in England, Australia and South Africa.
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