“Rishabh Pant Letting Me Down With DRS Calls” – R Ashwin’s comments misconstrued
Ravichandran Ashwin was outstanding for India in the recent Test series against England. The premier India off-spinner took 32 wickets from four matches at a cost of just 14.72 per piece. Ashwin continued the rich vein of form and rhythm he had shown in Australia and ended the season with 44 scalps from 7 matches.
R Ashwin enjoyed a wood over both Australian and English batsmen in the last two series. But if there is one thing the off-spinner didn’t have much control over, it is the DRS. Ashwin and skipper Virat Kohli got multiple DRS reviews wrong against England in a series where the local umpires were mostly spot-on.
R Ashwin spoke about his multiple failed reviews in the Test series against England.
Ashwin can be persuasive when it comes to the reviews and got Kohli involved and interested in opting for the DRS on various occasions. However, as it turned out, the off-spinner didn’t get the review in his favour on multiple instances.
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The failure of the reviews didn’t hurt India much in the end as they won the series 3-1 and qualified for the World Test Championship final. But they certainly raised question marks whether Ashwin is being too keen for the wickets and is letting that blur his judgement?
In his defence, the Indian spin stalwart in a light-hearted comment said wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has been letting him down when he has relied upon him to judge the trajectory and the bounce. Ashwin revealed he had to take Pant aside for a discussion as head coach Ravi Shastri wasn’t amused with the reviews being wasted.
“I think we need to change the lens with which people are looking at me for the DRS,” R Ashwin was quoted as saying by India Today.
“Before this series against England, my DRS (usage) was extremely good. Because you take the DRS, you need to rely on the keeper’s resources. I ask valid questions in terms of saying ‘I know whether the ball struck in line or not’. But with respect to the line from the angle that I am bowling and the bounce, the keeper really needs to help.”
“And Rishabh is actually letting me down, on a lot of occasions. I took him aside and said we need to sit down and discuss because Ravi Bhai has a few complaints about me going for DRS.”
“So honestly, yeah, if there is one improvement I am looking to make, I will go for better DRS in the future series. I will hold myself in check and we have been playing on red-soil pitches after a long time. It plays a huge role.”
R Ashwin looking to improve on DRS reviews
R Ashwin’s comments, “Rishabh is actually letting me down”, could be misconstrued of course. It may come cross as if the bowler is putting the blame for the DRS mishaps on the young wicketkeeper. But Ashwin hasn’t done that. The comment was more a sarcasm than anything else and one can find a bit of banter in it that reflects the general relationship between most bowlers and the wicketkeepers. If asked about it, even Pant can accuse his senior teammate of pushing him towards those DRS reviews and do that in his characteristically funny avatar.
The most pertinent thing that Ashwin mentioned is that he is willing to revisit his ways when it comes to the DRS. The off-spinner said he would focus on holding himself back a touch and make better judgements.
Ashwin, who has rose to No.2 in ICC Test rankings for his performances in recent months, will be next seen in action in Tests during the marquee summer in England where India will first take on New Zealand in the World Test Championship final and then face the hosts in a five-match Test series.
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