Ishant Sharma, a veteran Indian pacer, praised Ravichandran Ashwin after the latter’s outstanding stint on Day 1 of the upcoming first Test against the West Indies at Windsor Park in Dominica.
As the tourists wiped out the West Indies for only 150 runs, the veteran bowler posted amazing figures of 5/60. In contrast, India concluded Day 1 at 80/0, led by the new opening pair of Rohit Sharma (30*) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (40*).
When asked about Ashwin’s fifer, Ishant indicated that Ashwin took full use of the circumstances available, noting that the ball had began to spin.
Ishant Sharma comments on performance of Ravi Ashwin
When the ball turns, no bowler is scarier than Ashwin, according to the 34-year-old seamer.
“The conditions were also very supportive for Ashwin because the ball had started to spin. When the ball turns, no bowler is more dangerous than Ashwin. When the ball turns even slightly, he knows what line to bowl and how to vary his pace, because of which he picked up five wickets,”
Ishant said during a discussion on JioCinema.
Ishant was then asked what the most memorable aspect of Ashwin’s spell was. The right-arm seamer went on to explain that the 36-year-old exploited the rough efficiently, whether it was to left-handers or right-handers, and that these are characteristics of an efficient bowler.
“The best thing was the line he bowled and he mixed his pace very well. He didn’t bowl at one pace. So it becomes very difficult for the batters to read that. He started with the sliders and then tossed one up.”
“He used the rough very well, whether it was to the left-handers or the right-handers. When he was bowling slow to the right-handers, he was bowling wide of the stumps. All these things are a sign of a good bowler, how he reads the wicket, from where he can get the turn. So Ashwin did all these things very well,”
he added.
Ashwin began his wicket-taking spree with dismissing Tagenarine Chanderpaul with a superb ball, then claimed Windies captain Kraigg Brathwaite.
Following dismissals of Alzarri Joseph, Alick Athanaze, and Jomel Warrican, he was able to collect a five-wicket haul.
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