Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], March 5 (ANI): Ahead of playing his 100th Test, Ravichandran Ashwin named three famed batters as the players he loves bowling to.
Since making his debut in 2011 in Test cricket, Ashwin has engaged in numerous battles against the most skilful batters like Alastair Cook and many more that the world of cricket has ever witnessed.
Ahead of his 100th Test, Ashwin named Australia’s craftsman Steve Smith, New Zealand’s veteran batter Kane Williamson and England’s skilful star Joe Root as the batters he has loved bowling against.
“I’ve loved bowling to Steven Smith, [Kane] Williamson and Joe Root. They’re some of the finest batters going around the world right now,” Ashwin said as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
Against Smith, Ashwin has managed to bag his wicket eight times in 25 innings and conceded 434 runs. While facing Williamson who is one of the technically gifted batters, Ashwin has managed to dismiss him five times in 12 innings.
Ashwin who has registered some eye-catching performances against England has fared well against their star batter Joe Root. The 37-year-old has claimed his wicket seven times in 26 innings.
The experienced off-spinner went on to name three of the domestic batters – S Badrinath, Rajat Bhatia and Mithun Manhas, that he faced early in his career in First Class cricket who posed him numerous challenges.
“Before I played first-class cricket, I had the joy, and even in first-class cricket, the absolute privilege to bowl to some of the gun batters of spin that I’ve ever encountered. I’ll just name a few. I’ve had the privilege of bowling to him in the nets, I haven’t really encountered much of him in the game – [S] Badrinath. I felt he was one of the finest batters of spin,” Ashwin said.
“Then Mithun Manhas from Delhi, one of the finest players of spin. Rajat Bhatia, again from Delhi. These are, I feel, still some of the greatest batters of spin that I would have completely not wanted to encounter in international cricket. They were the most wonderful batters of spin and they were my finishing school before I started playing international cricket. I’d like to take my hat out to them because they gave me some valuable lessons,” Ashwin added.
Ashwin will feature in his 100th Test during India’s fifth game of the series against England on Thursday at the HPCA Stadium. (ANI)
