Five reasons why Ravichandran Ashwin bowled so many variations in the second ODI against West Indies
Anyone who saw the second ODI between West Indies and India would certainly have had plenty of questions. One of the main queries that is likely to be on everyone’s lips is what has Ravichandran Ashwin transformed himself into.
Anyone who saw him bowl for the first time would probably attest to him being a leg spinner and not an off-spinner, such was the frequency with which he was bowling leg breaks. Has he evolved to such an extent that he now has to be classified as a right-arm spinner and not be too bothered about being classified as an offie or a leggie? Why did he try so much variations, leg spinners, carrom balls in the second ODI that India won so comfortably?
Is this the next stage in his evolution or just a one-off? Whatever the reasons maybe one thing that can’t be denied is the fact that he bowled plenty of variations. And here’s a look at five reasons why Ashwin bowled so many variations in the second ODI against West Indies:
Evolve as a spinner
If there is one thing that Ravichandran Ashwin has consistently done throughout the course of his career, apart from taking wickets, it is evolving as a bowler. Whether it is coming up with new deliveries that befuddle the batsmen or just subtle variations in his action that is meant to lull the batsmen into a false sense of security, Ashwin has always evolved and adapted himself to the ever-changing ways of modern cricket.
While some of those evolutions might be termed as unnecessary, there is no doubt that Ashwin is always trying new things in a bid to remain relevant in the Indian limited-overs side. And the introduction of a leg break to along with his stock deliveries and his carrom ball might just be a natural way of his evolution.
If his success in the longest format of the game is based on his consistency and ability to nail his stock deliveries, in the shorter formats he has always shown that he is ready to adapt and evolve. Whether it was his carrom ball or his more recent trend of bowling leg breaks, which was evident in the Champions Trophy, the 30-year-old is showing that he isn’t going to get left behind.