Former Team India player and head coach Ravi Shastri applauded Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, rating them among the best spinners of the game.
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Former Team India player and head coach Ravi Shastri applauded Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, rating them among the best spinners of the game. The pair have been in great form, especially in home conditions over the past. However, the team is yet to lose a Test series on home soil whenever the pair have played together as well.
Alongside bowling, they also have an additional attribute in the form of their batting, which evolved with time and helped them to become outright match-winners. Naming Ashwin a favourite to get into the all-time playing XI, Ravi Shastri said during the recent edition of the ICC Review:
“I never compare eras, but the record that he (Ashwin) has – especially in Indian conditions – would make him a favourite to get into that (all-time XI) squad. In Indian conditions he’s something else. I mean, you’ve seen some great spinners in the past. He’s right up there. And the fact that he can get you runs at crucial stages makes all the difference.”
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Meanwhile, R Ashwin has had the perfect partner to trouble the opposition batters in the form of Ravindra Jadeja. The left-arm all-rounder is arguably one of the best players when the conditions help his skillset. Saying that Jadeja is a nightmare for batters when he gets going, Ravi Shastri said:
“He (Jadeja) will start to get the credit (he deserves) now. There’s no question about it. The last year, year-and-a-half, he’s been simply outstanding because he’s realised his potential.He gives you nothing and it’s a nightmare (for opposition batters). Especially if you’re not in good form, and you are in the opposition as a batsman, you’ll have nightmares. You’ll have Jadeja in your dreams because the guy gives you nothing.”
Ravi Shastri continued: “If it’s a track where the ball is up and down, he can be even more dangerous than Ashwin. Ashwin anyway has the guy (with his) skill. But here, this guy (Jadeja) can have you on edge because one ball will skip through, one ball will turn, and he gives you nothing.His accuracy is so good that there are hardly any loose balls on offer.”
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Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja is currently the No.1 ranked all-rounder in Tests and he has been in sublime form in the ongoing series against Australia. He has been adjudged as the player of the match in both the Test matches so far and even registered a career-best 7-42 during the second Test in Delhi as well.
Ravi Shastri said: “People, and he himself, didn’t actually realise how good a player he was until he actually got a couple of big scores in Test matches. I remember we pushed him up the order as well to give him that responsibility and he has not looked back. When you see his technique, he plays the ball late, he plays in straight lines and he is just a fabulous cricketer.”
