"They are the world's best batters" - Gautam Gambhir lauds Ravichandran Ashwin's dismissals of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith

Gautam Gambhir has lauded Ravichandran Ashwin for deceiving and dismissing two of the world's best batters - Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith.

Ashwin registered figures of 3/57 as India bowled out Australia for 263 in their first innings of the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Delhi on Friday, February 17. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul then remained unseparated as the hosts finished the day at 21 for no loss.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Gambhir was all praise for Ashwin, saying:

"I will talk about Ravichandran Ashwin. He beat Steve Smith on the outside edge and Labuschagne on the inside edge from around the wicket. It is the quality of a bowler how he can test both the edges, and they are not tailenders, they are the world's best batters."

The former Indian opener added that the wily off-spinner is proficient in his art, stating:

"If you can have Steve Smith caught behind and beat Labuschagne on the inside edge, it shows how able a master is in his art and that is Ravichandran Ashwin."

R Ashwin becomes the only bowler to get Steve Smith out for a duck multiple times at Test format 😇

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Ashwin trapped Labuschagne leg-before-wicket with an off-spinner from an around-the-wicket angle when the visitors seemed to be comfortably placed at 91/1. He then had Smith caught behind with a straighter one from the same angle a couple of deliveries later to give India the upper hand.

"You get a natural variation on the Indian wickets" - Gautam Gambhir on Ravichandran Ashwin undercutting the ball

Ravichandran Ashwin got Marnus Labuschagne's wicket through a review. [P/C: BCCI]

Gambhir highlighted how Ashwin's bowling style helps him to get a natural variation from the Indian pitches, explaining:

"Ashwin undercuts the ball and when you do that, you get a natural variation on the Indian wickets. Which ball will turn and which ball will go straight - the bowler himself does not know, and that is why it is even more difficult for the batters."

The cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that Smith was playing for the turn after seeing Labuschagne's dismissal, observing:

"When Steve Smith would have seen the way Marnus Labuschagne got out, the ball turned a little and beat the inside edge, so he was playing for the ball coming in and the ball pitched and went straight. It is not that it did too much and this is what we call natural variation."

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#TeamIndia bowlers have the ball talking and Aussie batters dancing to their tunes!
Ashwin gets two huge wickets of Labuschagne and Smith! 🔥

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Ashwin completed his three-wicket haul by having Alex Carey caught at slip by Virat Kohli for a duck. Mohammad Shami (4/60) and Ravindra Jadeja (3/68) were the other successful Indian bowlers in Australia's first innings.