Ravi Shastri believes India's duo spinners can make all-time India XI
Mar 01, 2023
New Delhi [India], March 1 : Former coach and Indian batter Ravi Shastri believe that the 36-year-old veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin could easily slot into India's all-time best eleven. Shastri believes that along with Ashwin his partner Ravindra Jadeja is also walking on the same path. While talking on the ICC review Ravi Shastri made some bold statements about the experienced spinner duo.
Shastri pointed to a period during his coaching tenure with India as the turning point in Jadeja's career. The left-hander was promoted up the batting order at the time and allowed more freedom to bat with his natural flair.
"People, and he himself, didn't actually realise how good a player he was until he actually got a couple of big scores in Test matches," Shastri said.
"I remember we pushed him up the order as well to give him that responsibility and he has not looked back. When you see his technique, he plays the ball late, he plays in straight lines and he is just a fabulous cricketer. Australia's stand-in skipper Steve Smith knows all too well the damage India's spinning strike force can cause, especially after Ashwin and Jadeja claimed all 10 wickets in the second innings in Delhi.
The visitors lost their last eight wickets for 28 runs in that innings on the way to a six-wicket loss, but Smith signalled Australia would take a fresh approach to counter the spin duo in the third Test.
"They know when they're on top of you, they'll try and rush you and they'll try and play on their terms," Smith told reporters.
"When we're under pressure it's about just slowing it down as much as we can, making them wait a little bit, walk away and regain your thoughts rather than just coming back and back.
"It will be different for everyone, the way they handle those moments, but I think it's finding that in our game and hopefully that applies a bit more pressure back onto them."
India will need their experienced spinner duo to shift the momentum towards India after a shocking collapse of team India at 109 on Day-1.
