Ravichandran Ashwin wants India to play with four spinners in the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka. Picking his preferred combination for the rubber, which begins on August 15, Ashwin chose Ravindra Jadeja, Manav Suthar and debutant Saransh Jain as the three all-rounders, followed by Kuldeep Yadav as a fourth specialist spinner and two pacers.
This would be a brilliant assortment, with Kuldeep and Jain turning the ball into the right-hander while Suthar, who took seven wickets on debut against Afghanistan, and Jadeja will make it go the opposite way. Ashwin said Jadeja would likely be seen as a ‘batter who can bowl’ and is more than capable of batting at number six, followed by Jain, who has a reputation of putting a high price on his wicket in domestic cricket.
“Jadeja will definitely play," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. “Manav Suthar took seven wickets in the last game—he’ll play. And Kuldeep Yadav should also play. That makes three spinners. I think they should go with Saransh Jain at No. 7, which leaves—No. 5 Rishabh Pant, No. 4 Shubman Gill, No. 3 Devdutt Padikkal or Sai Sudharshan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and KL Rahul. That leaves 2 fast-bowler spots," he added.
India are only taking four quicks on the almost-certain spin-friendly tour, but Ashwin limited his choice to just three — Gurnoor Brar, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna — saying Jasprit Bumrah should be wrapped in ‘cotton wool’ for such tours.
In the batting department, Sai Sudharsan is India’s designated number three and hit a half-century against Afghanistan. However, he needs a final fitness clearance. Devdutt Padikkal would be his natural replacement, if it comes to it. But Ashwin said Sudharsan not being there could be the ‘biggest loss’ for India.
“First, I think India’s biggest loss here could be Sai Sudharshan’s fitness. Because he scored two centuries recently in the recent India ‘A’ series—one of them was at Galle, which has unique conditions. The wind, how the ball turns, the angles—it takes time to learn all that. But he’s made a 100 there —if he stays fit, it could be an advantage for India. His confidence will be high. And Sri Lanka always depends on spin—Sai Sudharshan is a good player of spin. So he could be useful. I hope he’s fit, and it shouldn’t be a setback," he said.
“Devdutt Padikkal getting a chance in his place is not a bad thing. He has been a brilliant performer in domestic cricket. But I’d prefer Sudharsan to take his form to Test cricket," Ashwin added.
Sai Sudharsan's absence could be India's 'biggest loss', according to Ravichandran Ashwin, who noted his usefulness as a player of spin against Sri Lanka. Sudharsan is India's designated number three batter and is included in the squad subject to fitness clearance. His fitness is a concern for the team.
India faces challenges from a lack of experience in Sri Lankan conditions, with 12 players new to these pitches. Fitness concerns for key players, including Jasprit Bumrah, and six injured players add to the team's worries. Sri Lanka's spinners are also expected to pose a significant threat on turning wickets.
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