Ashwin-Jadeja's Yin-Yang act a stark reminder of greatness in their twilightÂ
A quick Google search for Yin and Yang brings up a ton of search hits, but what matters the most is its principle in the truest sense which is, '"Yin and yang can be thought of as complementary and at the same time opposing forces that interact to form a dynamic system in which the whole is greater than the assembled parts and the parts are important for cohesion of the whole."
Now some of the key words or phrases mentioned here at the risk of repetition are, complementary, opposing, dynamic system, whole being greater than the assembled parts, and lastly the parts being important for the cohesion of the whole.
Applying the concept to the cricketing field, you automatically come across many striking examples that fit the mould, but maybe none more so than Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin. They have complemented each other, raised their compatriots' level higher with their own input despite having contrasting personalities and a style of play.
Their contribution is certainly more than just their individual stats, and the role they play in the Indian Test setup is close to what a conveyor belt is to an assembly line - they keep things moving, either with the bat or the ball.
What are the odds that India availed the services of two of their greatest all-rounders simultaneously? While calculating that is an endless task, what matters is what the country availed through their collaboration.
India, often blamed for its player worship and individualization of a team sport, has seen some famous duos. Whether it be Sachin-Sehwag, Sachin-Ganguly, Rohit-Kohli, Rohit-Dhawan, or Harbhajan-Kumble, even in fielding there was the infamous Kaif-Yuvraj pair.
But none of these duos work on multiple levels to a great extent, it is rather one-dimensional, which is not a flaw of course, but a mere observation. In fact, there are hardly any pairs in world cricket that have had a say in multiple departments, even if they did, it did not last for a decade. But, Ashwin-Jadeja are a different breed.
Innovation and tradition - Ashwin-Jadeja's contrasting styles is the bed-rock to their success
If we dig into the archives and see how Ashwin and Jadeja batted and bowled in their early days, and then witness how they are playing now, there will be a lot of observations in one case, and an overwhelming lack of it in the other.
Over the course of his career, Ashwin has remodeled his action multiple times, added various variations to his armory, and has made significant strides when it comes to batting. The off-spinner is among the most innovative players the game has ever witnessed, constantly evolving and finding ways to outdo the opposition.
On the flip side, Jadeja has remained true to his elegant action, his stock deliveries and his traditional style of batting.
From one perspective, it is all about trying to keep up with the game and push oneself. On the other, why change anything at all when you have cracked the code once, and it is working. Although there are faults to be found in both philosophies, neither are wrong.
The reason it is not wrong is the fact that both Ashwin and Jadeja have found success with their own approach, probably the only thing that matters in the end.
Ashwin-Jadeja: A symbiotic relationship like no other
A symbiotic relationship is where both individuals draw mutual benefits from one other, and that is exactly the case with Ashwin-Jadeja. How often have we witnessed Jadeja choking the batters from one end with his impeccable control over bowling areas, leading to Ashwin making a breakthrough at the other end.
Bowling partnerships are often unnoticed or not given enough weightage compared to batting partnerships. Ashwin-Jadeja are one of the active pairs that remind of the world the importance of bowling in tandem or hunting in pairs trait. They both feed off and profit from each other's strengths so much that there are hardly any instances where they both have failed to make an impact.
If one of them have an off day, they at least make sure to keep enough pressure so that the other can profit.
A huge reason why India's impeccable streak at home is still well and alive is down to the contributions of Ashwin and Jadeja, along with their chemistry. Oppositions have come close to cracking the code to win in India, they have deflated the batting unit, and easily negotiated the pacers as well. However, it is against Ashwin-Jadeja that they are forced to admit defeat.
With the bat, the duo have frustrated oppositions beyond extent, while their sheer prowess with the ball has 'double-handledly' won games for India.
Do we need to cherish Ashwin-Jadeja even more?
The hard truth is that Indian fans are fickle in nature, primarily because of emotions overtaking everything else, and a ridiculous ability to forget the past when it matters while simultaneously unnecessarily bringing up the past.
The same names singing Ashwin and Jadeja's praises might just end up being the first ones to abuse them when things do not go their way. This usually flares up during overseas tours, where the spinners are helpless to a degree.
While India are spoilt for choices when it comes to spinners or spin-bowling all-rounders in the country, the task of taking over from the duo, when the time inevitably comes, is hardly a straight swap or a seamless transition.
At times, fans also tend to take their performances, especially on home soil, for granted. A five-wicket haul or a lower-order charge is expected each game from them, and when it does not transpire, it leads to criticism that they are not able to perform in tailormade conditions.
"Sometimes I feel people value only when they're not around anymore, and these two people will be valued a lot more when they're done. These two have been phenomenal for India in this format," Dinesh Karthik said on Cricbuzz.
You know a pair is successful when it is difficult to take one's name without mentioning the other. Ashwin-Jadeja are not two different names or words forced together with a hyphen, it is a single feeling, a feeling of impact and hope.
It feels odd seeing Ashwin bowl from one end without Jadeja backing him from the other, and vice-versa. It is often seen in overseas Tests, but never on home. If missing one of them feels weird, imagine what would be missing both of them. Sadly, that is set to be the inevitable reality in the coming years.
However, what their recent displays have shown us is that they are here to stay for a while, and this may just have been the beginning of their third act, which often ends up as the most enthralling and memorable one.