"Cannot be recklessly attacking" - Nasser Hussain analyzes the Stokes v Ashwin battle ahead of 3rd Test
Former England captain Nasser Hussain has provided the low-down for Ben Stokes on tackling India's ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Nasser Hussain advised Ben Stokes to be not overtly aggressive against the off-spinner, and rather rotate the strike more often.
In the ongoing series, Ben Stokes scored a flamboyant 82 in the first innings of the first Test but has lost his flow since. In the following three innings, Ben Stokes was dismissed for 7, 18 and 8 runs - all by Ravichandran Ashwin.
This has taken Ashwin's head-to-head tally against Stokes to a stunning 10 wickets in as many Tests.
Writing in his column for the Daily Mail, Nasser Hussain said Ben Stokes needs to use his favorite shot, the slog-sweep, judiciously considering Ashwin's subtle variations.
"The key will be his tempo. He cannot be recklessly attacking and just go after Ashwin. If it was that easy, other left-handers would have done it by now. But he cannot just be stuck at one end facing him, either... Ben has to use his bat at all times, including when the ball is spinning sharply out of the rough, which all left-handers have to cope with when facing a bowler with as many variations as Ashwin.
"The problem for Stokes is that one of his go-to shots is the slog sweep — we saw it in that magnificent innings at Headingley when he kept on slog-sweeping and switch-hitting Nathan Lyon — but that is a high-risk shot against Ashwin in India. Stokes is a very smart cricketer so he didn’t go to the sweep that much in the second Test, but he did execute a few successfully when he made 82 in the first game. It may be an option again on Wednesday in Ahmedabad if the surface is truer," said Nasser Hussain.
Analyzing the competition further, Nasser Hussain ruled-out stepping out of the wicket for Ben Stokes and suggested the southpaw to play with a straighter bat.
"Otherwise, he will probably try to play him straighter and through the off-side. This would go against how he has done it in the past — he has scored 72 per cent of his runs against Ashwin in Test cricket against the spin on the leg-side. Running down the pitch is also a risky option for Stokes because, if the ball is spinning away from him, he only has to misjudge it by a fraction and he’s gone. And it is notable that he’s been doing that less in this series," said Nasser Hussain.
This is the Test where England need to deliver: Nasser Hussain
The series couldn't have poised any better. The scoreline is level at 1-1 and a spot in the World Test Championship final is at stake. Moreover, the home advantage for India is somewhat negated by the fact that this could be a pace-favoring Test - England's strong suit.
Commenting on the same, Nasser Hussain suggested that this is probably the last chance for the visitors in the series and they need to grab it with both hands.
"Joe Root would have snapped your hand off if you’d told him ahead of this series he would be going to the pink-ball Test in Ahmedabad at 1-1. Even though India’s seamers will relish the conditions, too, this is a great opportunity for England. The pitch for the fourth Test could well be Chennai Mark II, so this is the game England came for. This is the one where they need to deliver," signed off Nasser Hussain.
The match will commence at 2:30 Pm IST on Wednesday in Ahmedabad.