R Ashwin's chance for redemption as Kuldeep Yadav threat looms large
Rohit Sharma’s opening gambit has become the cynosure of the impending Test series between the No.1 ranked Test side and the visiting South African team. Once a struggling middle-order batsman in the ODI format, Rohit grew into a limited-overs maverick since 2013, courtesy MS Dhoni's insistence to open with the Mumbai batsman ahead of the year's Champions Trophy. Head coach Ravi Shastri and the Indian team management are now of the belief that Rohit can script a similar story against the red cherry and subsequently save his Test career. But far away from this ongoing analysis lies the struggles of Ravichandran Ashwin. The ace Indian spinner has not played for India since the Australia Test in Adelaide and with young Kuldeep Yadav breathing down his neck, he would surely look to make a strong statement in the South Africa series
Ashwin's struggles in 2018 and Kuldeep's emergence
Ashwin's impressive bowling numbers were directly proportional to India's performance in Test cricket between 2015 to 2017. While Ashwin emerged as the top wicket-taking bowler in 2015 and in 2016 and third-highest in 2017, Virat Kohli's Team India grew into an invincible force on home turf with many drawing comparisons with Steve Waugh's mighty Australian side of the 2000s. India had won as many as 10 Test series at home -- the joint-most by a team in Test cricket -- while also scripting an unbeaten streak of 19 consecutive Test wins.
However, with India venturing into foreign lands to extend their dominance and prove their worth as No.1 ranked Test side, Ashwin's numbers fell. He struggled in South Africa, picking seven wickets in four innings and was subjected to immense criticism following his performance in England (11 wickets in four Tests), especially in the Southampton clash where fellow-spinner Moeen Ali had played a pivotal role picking nine wickets to help England stay ahead in the contest while Ashwin failed to deliver on the sun-kissed Rose Bowl track.
Ashwin did bounce back strong, bagging six wickets in India's historic Adelaide win against Australia, only to sit out of the remainder of the campaign owing to an abdominal strain. He was subsequently replaced by Kuldeep, who returned with impressive numbers which included a stunning five-wicket haul in the rain-affected fifth Test in Sydney.
Impressed with the chinaman's performance, coach Shastri asserted that Kuldeep has become India's "primary overseas spinner" ahead of Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
"Already! He plays overseas Test cricket and he gets five wickets, so he becomes our primary overseas spinner. Going ahead, if we have to play one spinner, he is the one we will pick," Shastri told 'Cricbuzz' shortly after India's maiden Test series win in Australia. Ashwin did not play a single Test for India thereafter.
But were Ashwin's numbers actually poor enough for Shastri to make such a huge claim? He had ended 2018 with 38 wickets in 19 innings which is just under four wickets a Test. And in all these Tests, he played as a support bowler. While his average of 25.36 stayed within the range of the figures he had recorded at home between 2015 to 2017, his economy rate of 2.49 was the best he registered in a calendar year.
A make or break Test series for Ashwin as well?
As India return to familiar grounds after an arduous overseas tour, the time seems right for Ashwin to hit the bullseye. Besides, the 33-year-old has commendable numbers against South Africa. In seven Test matches against the Proteas side, Ashwin has picked 38 wickets in 13 innings. While his average of 17.57 is his third-best against an opposition (after Afghanistan and New Zealand), his economy rate of 2.35 is his best against any Test team he has faced. Meanwhile, 31 out of those 38 Test wickets were taken on home soil, which is the third-best by an Indian bowler in the rivalry contest.
Ashwin was at his devastating best when South Africa had last visited India, which was in 2015. The ace offie had taken 31 wickets in four Tests - which comprises exactly 44 per cent of the total South African wickets that had fallen in the series. He had averaged 11.13 and recorded a strike rate of 31.9 with four fifers.
The 33-year-old's inclusion into the playing XI would also imply the return of the formidable duo in Ashwin and Jadeja who had together picked 54 wickets in the 2015 series against South Africa. Although, Jadeja has a tad better bowling figures than Ashwin against the Proteas side. Overall, the two had dominated in India's stunning run on home soil between 2015 to 2017, picking 315 wickets in 28 Tests where India won 21 and lost just one.
What lies ahead for Ashwin?
Ashwin requires eight wickets in his next Test appearance to become he joint-fastest to 350 Test wickets, equalling Muttiah Muralitharan's elite feat in the format. He already owns the record for being the fastest to 250 and 300 Test scalps. But for Ashwin, more than hoping to rewrite history, he would be eager to make a statement with Kuldeep awaiting to cement his position as the premier spinner for India on home and away soil.
