CHENNAI: Former leg-spin ace Anil Kumble said last week that India are a quality side with experience in batting, good fast bowlers and the best spinners in the world. He felt the team has a good chance of winning the upcoming Test series in England.
Ravichandran Ashwin agrees and expects the team to do well. “In the last two years, we have been exemplary. It will be tough to win for India. At the same time, it will be equally tough for England. It will be an extraordinary series,” said Ashwin after unveiling the Dindigul Dragons TNPL jersey on Wednesday.
Ashwin has been practising regularly over the last week or so. He is confident he will be able to bowl with the Duke ball used in England. “Having bowled with Duke balls when I played county cricket last year, at this point of time it is not as difficult. I think it should be fine.”
Ashwin said he will not be experimenting in England. “There is logic behind whatever I do. Before I bowled a delivery of leg-spin in IPL, I had bowled probably a lakh of them in practice. The thought process alone is experimentation. What I might do tomorrow in a game, I really don’t know. As a Test cricketer, I know what is important in a Test match. If I wanted to bowl leg-spin and googly, I would have done it in the Afghanistan Test,” he explained.
India will be playing in the second half of the English summer, when the pitches tend to slow down. Will the Indian spinners come into play? “We have a good battery of fast bowlers who did well in South Africa. Our batsman too did well. We fancy our chances. Going in the second half of the English summer, the spinners will definitely come into play,’’ said Ashwin.
Will adapting to conditions be a problem? “For me it’s all about memories. Most of the squad has toured England before, so there should be no problem adapting. Playing the ODIs first will be helpful and even the Test team will arrive a little early this time. That will help.”
Ashwin felt England were a strong team in the shorter formats and bowling well in the death would be key for India. “England tweaked their strategy and combination after the 2015 World Cup. The key for India in ODIs will be Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah in the death overs. I think it will be a high-scoring series.”
Ashwin believed that like any cricketer, he too wishes to play in the World Cup next year, but the selection was not in his hands. “It’s definitely not in my control. Like any cricketer, I want to wear the blue jersey and represent India at the World Cup. If I land an opportunity, I want to be in good frame of mind to take it with both hands,” said Ashwin.
The yo-yo test has been in the news. Picked in the limited-over teams, Ambati Rayudu was left out after failing it. “I passed engineering exams, yo-yo wasn’t that tough. If you ask if it is needed in cricket, I have no opinion on that,” replied Ashwin.
ashok.v@newindianexpress.com