Gavaskar about Ashwin :)

If India have to win, R Ashwin is the key man: 

Sunil Gavaskar 

Former captain Sunil Gavaskar on Wednesday said that he 

would favour India going with four specialist bowlers and all-

rounder Ravindra Jadeja in a five-pronged attack in the first 

cricket Test against South Africa beginning in Mohali on 

Thursday.

Gavaskar said that Jadeja can be a wicket-taking 

bowler with his left-arm spin as he has done in the past and 

can also contribute with the bat, making him ideal for the 

number seven spot.

Asked whether India should go with five bowlers 

against South Africa on Thursday, Gavaskar said, “Having 

five bowlers gives you more options. But often the fifth 

bowler does not get much chance to bowl. In Sri Lanka, 

Harbhajan Singh did not get to bowl as many overs as you 

want.

“Here, Jadeja can be very handy as he can bat and 

also bowl. As a bowler he can get wickets on Indian pitches 

and conditions. As a batsman he should apply his mind, stay 

at the wicket and he will get runs,” said Gavaskar.

Gavaskar said he would pick Jadeja in the playing XI as he 

is the ideal candidate for the number seven spot in Test 

matches.

“Pick Jadeja in the playing XI. He can bowl 

beautiful deliveries as he did a couple of years back against 

Australian captain Michael Clarke in Mohali,” he said.

“In limited-over matches, he can be a bit expensive but in 

Tests he is the ideal number seven player. He is a fabulous 

fielder also and so he can contribute in all departments 

of the game,” said the former Indian captain while pitching 

for Jadeja.

Gavaskar also picked off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin 

as the key man if India have to win the match.

“If India have to win, R Ashwin is the key man. He is the five-

plus wicket taker in the team. You cannot say other bowlers 

as five-plus wicket takers. When Ishant Sharma 

comes back, India will have two five-plus wicket takers.

“If the (Indian) batsmen put up a big score, Ashwin will be 

more confident and that will give India the chance to 

win,” Gavaskar told NDTV.

The former captain advised the Indian players to 

forget about “aggressive” cricket and just play their natural 

game.

“Aggressive is not a correct word. I would prefer to talk about 

attacking or competitive cricket. In the Indian context, I 

understand playing aggressive cricket to be like you are 

on the face of opposition players, sledge them.

“I would advise the Indian players to forget all 

these aggressive cricket and just play your natural game. 

South Africa are the number one Test team and they are a 

balanced team. They also have the momentum having won 

the ODI and T20 matches.

“But the series is too tough to call and it will be a cracker of a 

competition.”

Gavaskar also touched upon the topic of home 

teams playing on pitches that suits their strengths but said 

India have the players who can do well in all conditions.

“Clearly, home teams would want to play on pitches 

which are suitable for them and that is understandable. That 

is the advantage of playing at home, knowing the conditions 

and knowing what to expect from the pitches.

“But I would advise the Indian players to forget all these. You 

are good enough to play on any pitch and condition. They 

should not make too much fuss about the pitches. But 

like many Indians would want, I feel the (Mohali) pitch will be 

a turning wicket,” he added.