New Delhi:
Ravichandran Ashwin’s form will decide the fate of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, feels former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who wouldn’t want the team’s premier spinner to “over-plan” against Australia in the upcoming four-match Test series. Shastri, under whose tutelage India won back-to-back Test series in Australia, also has no hesitation in naming Kuldeep Yadav as his choice as the third spinner while keeping Suryakumar Yadav as a potent middle-order game-changer.
“Ashwin, you don’t want him to over-plan. He is good enough to stick to his plans as he is real crucial player here. His form might decide the series. Ashwin comes as a package, he will get you important runs as well,” Shastri said, while answering a query from PTI during an interaction organized by Star Sports, the official broadcasters of the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
If Ashwin is on fire, that might decide the outcome of the series. He is world class in most conditions but in Indian conditions, he is lethal. If the ball starts spinning and there is enough bite off the surface, he will trouble most batters.
“So, you don’t want Ashwin to over-think and try too many things. Just keep it there and let the pitch do the rest because as it is, it does enough in India,” Shastri, one of the shrewdest brains in Indian cricket, said.
