Ravichandran Ashwin’s variations have been pivotal to his 507 wickets in only 99 Test appearances so far. But his carrom ball, top-spinner, arm ball and the likes aside, a standout feature of the senior India off-spinner’s bowling is his discipline, feels Saeed Ajmal, Pakistan’s erstwhile master of the craft.
“For a bowler to last long in international cricket, he does need to make a few changes and evolve. Ashwin, too, has made a few changes since his debut (back in 2010). For instance, his action looks different than what it used to be in his early days.
“Taking more than 350 wickets in India itself shows kitni zabardast bowling ki usne (how brilliantly he has bowled) at home. If we talk of his carrom ball, maintaining the line and length matters when bowling that delivery, which Ashwin does well. We know Indian tracks are spin-friendly, but to take wickets there, disciplined bowling is a must. And Ashwin has been extraordinary in that,” the 46-year-old Ajmal, who took 178 wickets from only 35 Tests, told The Telegraph from Lahore on Tuesday.
Unlike a few great off-spinners, Ashwin didn’t have to rely on the doosra on the way to reaching landmarks. That makes his achievement bigger, Ajmal acknowledged.
“I remember he used to try the doosra at the early stage of his career. But ever since it wasn’t being seen in good light, he stopped bowling it. So, taking so many wickets without the doosra is a big deal.
“A spinner is successful only if he takes wickets irrespective of the conditions. And Ashwin has 500 of them in less than 100 Tests!” Ajmal, who played six ODIs and three T20Is against Ashwin, said.
Ajmal though feels Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon has “a bit of an edge” over Ashwin. “Lyon has bowled mostly in conditions where there’s no spin but only bounce available. It isn’t easy for spinners there.
“As for Ashwin, he has played a lot at home where the tracks aid spinners. However, they are excellent competitors and I feel both can cross the 600 mark if they stay fit.”