Indian Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was instrumental on the second day of the first Test Match at Adelaide where he took four wickets including the priceless wicket of Steven Smith. Often the experts start comparing Lyon with Ashwin when India and Australia compete in a Test match to which the latter replied that we are two different bowlers and have achieved success in our own ways. While Lyon has clinched 391 Test wickets to date but Ashwin is not far behind with 369 scalps.
“Look I think every spinner is different, sometimes things can get blown out of proportion… even in this particular Test, Nathan and I have both bowled very differently. We are different bowlers and successful in our ways,” Ashwin said However, there is a huge difference in the bowling style of both ace spinners where Lyon is the most conventional type on the other hand Indian spinner tries to mix things up with a couple of variations.
“For me… it is not so much about the trajectory. It is about trying and changing it up and making it difficult for the batsman to defend and score at the same time.” He added
He clarified that his job overseas is to clinch wickets at regular intervals and complement fast bowlers.
“Sometimes when you are bowling with four bowlers, especially abroad, my job is to hold one end up and rotate the fast bowlers at the other end and also go for wickets if I get enough assistance or we have early wickets. For me, it becomes important to keep making things difficult for the batsman to defend and score as possible,” he said.
Ashwin who hails from Chennai has represented India in 70 Test matches, 111 ODI, and 46 T20 International matches till date where he clinched 362 wickets in the longest format of the game and 201 wickets combined in white-ball cricket. With his experience he is expected to deliver especially in overseas conditions and on several occasions in the last few years he has delivered that successfully by taking wickets at regular intervals.
