India’s fielding coach Ryan ten Doeschate clarified the rationale behind selecting veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin over Washington Sundar for the day-night Test against Australia in Adelaide. According to ten Doeschate, the decision was influenced by Ashwin’s remarkable track record at the Adelaide Oval and India’s need for added batting depth.
Washington Sundar, who had been in fine form since his return to the Test side during the New Zealand series and the Perth Test, found himself out of the XI despite impressive performances. Addressing the media post-match, ten Doeschate emphasized that the conditions and Ashwin’s proven adaptability to pink-ball Tests tipped the scales in favor of the experienced off-spinner.
AUS vs IND, 2nd Test Day 2: Highlights
“Since he came to the fold, sort of halfway through that New Zealand series, he hasn’t put a foot wrong. I guess going into the last test, we wanted to strengthen the batting and given what we saw of Nitish in the first test, we kind of thought we could go with what we perceived to be the guys bowling the best spin at the moment, and we feel Ash (Ashwin) is more likely to get wickets on these conditions,” ten Doeschate said.
When you get the confidence of Nitish batting at seven, it doesn’t really matter with Ash batting at eight, and that was the thinking. There is not much to choose between them, and we just thought that Ash would be slightly more effective on this wicket,” he added.
A Strategic Call Amidst Fan Criticism
While Ashwin bowled just at the very brink of Day 1 without claiming a wicket, the move sparked criticism amongst fans who questioned Sundar’s exclusion. Many pointed to Sundar’s contributions in Perth, where he dismissed Australian tailenders Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon in the second innings.
However, Ashwin’s credentials in day-night Tests are difficult to ignore. The 37-year-old is India’s most successful bowler in pink-ball games, with 18 wickets from four matches at a stellar average of 13.83. His previous exploits in Adelaide, including a standout performance in India’s only overseas pink-ball Test in December 2020, further justified his selection.
Ashwin’s Adelaide Edge and India’s Batting Boost
Beyond bowling, Ashwin’s reputation as a reliable lower-order batter added weight to his inclusion, especially given India’s fragile batting display on Day 1. Nitish Kumar Reddy’s gritty 42 off 54 balls was the lone silver lining in an otherwise dismal effort that saw the team bundled out for 180.
Ashwin’s ability to neutralise Australia’s top batters, notably Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, also played a pivotal role in the management’s decision. His record against these stars and his experience in handling Adelaide’s conditions were deemed invaluable.
As the Test progresses, India’s gamble on Ashwin will face its litmus test. With Australia reaching 86/1 at stumps on Day 1, trailing by just 94 runs, the onus now lies on India’s bowlers, particularly Ashwin, to validate the team’s tactical choices.
