And, while Gambhir didn’t say it explicitly, it translates to the big question about Ashwin: Why doesn’t off spinner Ashwin bowl off spin more in T20s?
In the World T20, consider the following scenario. Can Ashwin be relied on to take a wicket when a batsman is piling on the pressure with big hits and no other bowler is able to take his wicket – the only thing that might win India the game – or should captain Rohit Sharma turn to Yuzvendra Chahal or Jasprit Bumrah?
It’s a tricky question because it assumes Ashwin’s method won’t result in a wicket in this situation. Or that he can take a wicket by bowling a slew of off breaks. When Kuldeep Yadav bowled a quick ball, Rohit yelled from the slips, Agar aisey daalna hai toh, I won’t bowl you (if you bowl like this…). He’s not going to say that to Ashwin if he keeps bowling the carrom ball. But, like Sangakkara, will he believe that?
For clearly, Ashwin has deliberated on this decision: I will bowl more skidding carrom balls than the off spin ball I use in Tests. The variation here will be the off spin that he has worked on since he was a teenager. It’s not a deliberate withholding or concealment designed to make the batsmen think and sweat during the wait. It’s now right in front of you.
The current well-thought-out philosophy is what has allowed him to compete in another white-ball world cup. That may be true, but the world of Sangas will continue to wonder until he completes the T20 world cup and continues to be successful with this approach. They will continue to wonder whether R Ashwin has undersold himself until then.
