Former Australian spinner Nathan Hauritz feels that Ravichandran Ashwin’s supremacy with the new ball makes him a favourite to start against England ahead of all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. He also added that Rishabh Pant will need to show more patience in England compared to Australia.
Ravichandran Ashwin has been a star for India in 2021. He started with a brilliant series against Australia, proving his credentials there and then peaked on some spin-friendly decks against England at home. Even in the WTC final, he gave India a glimmer of hope in the second innings, taking early wickets. And continuing on his good run, he had a good stint in the County circuit too after the WTC final. Now, Ashwin is all set to be India’s premier spinner in the five-match Test series against England ahead of Ravindra Jadeja.
Reflecting on the duo of Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, former Aussie spinner Nathan Hauritz has stated that Ashwin is the favourite to start the series against England as he can make use of the new ball better than him.
“Jadeja has got a better batting average than Ashwin. Ashwin is the better bowler. I think the way that Ashwin bowls with the new Dukes ball, he is able to bowl his little seamers as well. Jadeja is more of a lock-in bowler. He will do a job for you very consistently. Personally I think Ashwin will play and that is only because when the ball and the wicket is new, he gets that more bounce,” Nathan Hauritz stated on the YouTube channel ‘Behind The Stumps with Anuj’.
In what comes as good news for India, Rishabh Pant is set to start against England now that he has returned to full fitness after recovering from COVID-19. He has been India’s best batter in terms of runs this year in Tests and will again be a vital cog for the Virat Kohli-led side in the upcoming series. However, Hauritz has warned him to play a little more cautiously in England compared to Australia.
“Rishabh Pant played unbelievably in Australia. But when he does that in England, everyone goes ‘why attack so early’. So he is one of those players with whom you know what you are going to get and you just have to accept it. But he has also got to understand that sometimes he just has to find a way to last that half an hour.”
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