WTC Final: 5 reasons why Ravichandran Ashwin might be India's trump card
The historic final of the World Test Championship (WTC) final is all set to commence later this week. India and New Zealand will take each other on in the summit clash at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.
The Indian team has been in sublime form almost throughout the inaugural WTC, dominating close to every opponent along the way. Both the experienced and younger groups of players have come together to help the side record several memorable victories.
In their 17 Test matches during the tournament, the team has registered wins in 12 Tests and endured losses in four games. They also recorded a morale-boosting and hard-fought draw in the Sydney Test during the 2020/21 Border Gavaskar Trophy.
India have been heavily reliant on their ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin throughout the competition to provide them with breakthroughs. He is likely to be a key player in the WTC final as well.
A recent addition to the 400 wicket club, he comes into the final in sublime form after picking up 32 wickets in the last home series against England.
On that note, let us take a look at the top five reasons why Ravichandran Ashwin holds the key for the Indian team:
#1 Leading wicket-taker for India
Ashwin has been the spearhead of the bowling unit for the Indian team in their World Test Championship campaign.
The 34-year-old is currently third in the list of leading wicket-takers in the inaugural edition of the league with 67 wickets in 13 matches, three behind Pat Cummins. He has the most wickets among Indian bowlers and will look to add to his tally against the Kiwis.
With a wealth of international experience in the longest format of the game, Ravichandran Ashwin will be a vital cog in the bowling unit for the team for this all-important clash.
#2 Left-handers in the top order of New Zealand
Another primary reason the off-spinner could be the trump card against the Kiwis is the number of left-handers in their batting line-up.
With Tom Latham and Devon Conway set to open the innings after their successful alliance at the top in the recently concluded England series, Ravichandran Ashwin will fancy his chances against them.
Henry Nicholls, another promising left-hander, is slated to come in at number five, making it three players in the top five of the Kiwi batting unit.
#3 Ravichandran Ashwin's record against Ross Taylor
While the top order is heavily dominated by southpaws, another notable factor in determining Ravichandran Ashwin's impact on the game would be his ability to prize out Ross Taylor.
The experienced Kiwi batsman has been dismissed by Ashwin five times in six matches, the most by any Indian bowler. This will mean the offie will hold a psychological edge over Taylor when the two meet again in Southampton.
#4 Pitch conditions
There has been plenty of talk about the conditions and the surface on offer at the Ageas Bowl. The pitch for the final is expected to assist spinners due to the dry conditions. Spinners have also been more successful at the venue in recent times, with Moeen Ali wreaking havoc against India the last time they played at this ground in 2018.
With conditions conducive to spin bowling and the hard Duke's ball being used for this match, Ravichandran Ashwin will look to extract plenty of turn and bounce from the wicket, making him a lethal wicket-taking option for Virat Kohli.
#5 Contributions lower down the order
Over the years, Ashwin has guided the Indian team out of challenging situations with useful contributions lower down the order.
While there are plenty of instances of his heroics, the most recent one that stands out is his partnership with Hanuma Vihari on the final day of the Sydney Test that helped the Indian team secure a hard-fought draw.
Another significant contribution by Ravichandran Ashwin was in the home series against England in the second Test match of the series in Chennai. The right-handed batsman scored a brilliant century on a wicket in which many of India's top-order batsmen struggled.
In this final, the Indian team will hope Ravichandran Ashwin's skills as a batsman will help them gather some valuable runs down the order.