All-rounder's century at No. 6 in first Test in Antigua not only gives captain Kohli the option to go with five bowlers but also gives the Tamil Nadu player the confidence to showcase more of his batting skills
R Ashwin tops the ICC's all-rounder's ranking with 427 rating points ahead of Bangladesh's Shakib-al-Hasan, Vernon Philander of South Africa and the England duo of Stuart Broad and Ben Stokes.
His performances with bat (113) and ball (0/43 & 7/83) in the first Test against West Indies last week not only helped India beat Jason Holder's side by an innings and 92 runs in Antigua but also overshadowed Virat Kohli's classy maiden double ton. Ashwin's all-round effort also fetched him the man of the match award.
It is known that Ashwin loves to bat. At the moment, he might not agree someone tagging him as an all-rounder but deep down somewhere he wouldn't mind the same.
But will it be right to give him the all-rounder's tag at this juncture and put pressure on him or give the freedom to enjoy batting which automatically also benefits the team?
For the record, his international batting statistics is better than his domestic records in the longer format of the game.
Take this: In 35 domestic games, Ashwin has 1,170 runs two centuries and seven half-centuries since he made his debut in 2006 Ranji Trophy season. Compare this to Test cricket and in 33 Tests, he has three centuries (all against the West Indies) and six 50s.
It is no secret that Ashwin was an opening batsman in his childhood. And, that love has remained with him till today. In recent times, he has indirectly expressed his feelings to bat in the middle-order as that gives him the time to show his batting skills.
"I've always wanted to bat in the top seven for the Indian team, which is a long-time goal that I have to try to strive to get better at. I need to thank Anil Kumble and Virat for having the confidence in me to be pushed at number six. There have been times in the past when I've played really well and haven't really got the promotion. This really says a whole lot of things about me," he had told reporters after scoring his third Test hundred.
Former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's idea to go with seven batsman and four bowlers would hardly give Ashwin an opportunity to bat. But whatever opportunity he got in the lower middle-order, he always tried to cease it.
Meanwhile, in aggressive captain Kohli, who prefers six batsmen and five bowlers with one of them being an all-rounder, Ashwin is likely to benefit from it. Kohli clearly sees an all-rounder in Ashwin and that is why he goes with that attack and the latter getting a chance to bat at No. 6.
Former India cricketer and one of the accompolished all-rounders in domestic cricket, Ramesh Powar is impressed with Ashwin's skills with the bat. "Ashwin is a bowler who can bat. He is someone who wants to win the game with ball and bat. But if you have the ability of an all-rounder and huge confidence, then it works well. After the first Test century, he's got all the confidence. He wants to perform in every aspect of the game. His confidence level is different and I see that he wants to take his team on his shoulders all the time," Powar said.
Powar said it is more mental. "When you back yourself, it becomes easy. It is his character and thinks himself as an important player after the captain. Not just that, if you think 'I am the best in the team' and have goals, then it helps."
The former offie added that Ashwin will have a huge task if he wants to become an all-rounder. "He has the ability. An all-rounder is someone who performs with the bat every second or third innings, scores consistently. Not just that takes wickets as well. If a specialist has one job at hand and can relax the other day, an all-rounder has to work on all five days to work. He has to think about batting and then about taking wickets. Ashwin has the skills, but it is the fitness that he has to work on. If the team management convinces him on the fitness front, then I don't see why Ashwin cannot become an all-rounder considering he has the belief in himself," he added.
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