If I were the chief selector, would have brought Ravi Ashwin back to the white ball: Dilip Vengsarkar

The Indian spinners were hammered in both the ODI matches against England at Pune. In both the matches put together, the Indian spinners picked up just a solitary wicket and were pummeled by the England batsmen.

And now, Dilip Vengsarkar has opined that he would get Ravi Ashwin back into both the Indian white-ball sides. Adding that Ashwin is an experienced bowler, Vengsarkar reasoned that the Tamil Nadu spinner has a lot of variety.

Vengsarkar further added that Ashwin has done really well and is in superb form with the red cherry in hand. The former chief selector was of the opinion that Ashwin should be brought back into the Indian white-ball setup.

“If I were the chief selector (now), I would have brought Ashwin back (to the white ball set-up). Why not? Because he is such an experienced bowler, and he has variety. As they say, spinners mature late, and he has done so well over the years. He is in terrific form in red-ball cricket. I think it will suit the team if he is brought back,” said Vengsarkar in a chat with The Sunday Express.

Sundar is no match if you compare him with Ravi Ashwin: Dilip Vengsarkar

Vengsarkar also stated that Ashwin is a way better bowler than Washington Sundar. Adding that players of similar discipline had featured in the Indian squad before, the former Indian selector said that a spinner’s main job is to pick up wickets. Vengsarkar also opined that Ashwin is very good at picking wickets as very few bowlers in world cricket can match the variety that Ashwin has at his disposal. The 64-year-old concluded by stating that spinners should pick up wickets in the middle overs.

“Washington Sundar is no match if you compare him with Ashwin, purely as a bowler. Where is the comparison? Players of ‘the same discipline’, however, have featured in the Indian squad before. The Ravindra Jadeja-Axar Patel combo is a case in point. So why not Washington and Ashwin? In the ODIs, when the spinners bowl, their job is to get wickets in the middle overs. If they fail to get wickets, then the opposition can score a huge total, with wickets in hand. So basically, Ashwin’s job will be to get wickets, and he is good at that. With the variety he has, he would be a very good attacking option, and very few can match his variety. As far as spinners are concerned, you don’t contain the batsmen (in this format), especially in the middle overs,” concluded the 64-year-old.