IND vs ENG 2021: "Ashwin, you deserve better!"- Fans in shock as Ravichandran Ashwin misses out again
Ravichandran Ashwin once again finds himself on the bench for the fourth Test at The Oval against England. The off-spinner was expected to play, with The Oval surface traditionally suiting spin. But Virat Kohli has once again stuck to his template of playing four pacers and Ravindra Jadeja.
England have opted to bowl first in cloudy conditions at The Oval. There is also a decent covering of grass on the wicket which will make things tough for the Indian openers.
Fans react to Ravichandran Ashwin's absence
Fans on Twitter were disappointed to see Ravichandran Ashwin miss out on India's playing XI once again. The 34-year-old had picked up six wickets in an innings at the same venue in a county game, but will now need to sit out. Here's how the fans reacted:
India's batting will be under the scanner after their disappointing performance in the third Test at Headingley. The team management has shown faith in the same set of batsmen and they will need to prove themselves this time around.
The Oval is usually considered a belter of a ground for batting. But this time around, the conditions look set to be conducive to swing bowling. The partnership between Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul at the top of the order will be crucial as both have been in fine form.
The middle-order will be watched carefully as the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane haven't been consistent. Kohli in particular hasn't scored a hundred since November 2019 and has been vulnerable to moving deliveries outside off-stump. The Indian skipper will need to ensure he doesn't play at deliveries that he can simply leave behind.
Time will also tell whether the decision not to deploy Ashwin backfires because the pitch is expected to dry up as the game progresses. Kohli's template has been a huge talking point this series and it is a brave decision not to play Ashwin in such a decisive game.