Ravichandran Ashwin- An Overseas disappointment
After India's first innings at Southampton, where a heroic century by Chesteshwar Pujara gave them a vital lead of 27 runs, there was a growing belief that Virat Kohli's men can level the series. The spin-friendly nature of the pitch was visible as Moeen Ali took a five-wicket haul.
The presence of rough patches on the pitch was vivid after Ishant Sharma's bowling effort on the previous day. After seeing Moeen Alli exploit it to perfection, India might not have been so disappointed. They had Ravichandran Ashwin in the ranks. The much more accomplished and skillful off-spinner.
However, things did not go to plan for India as Ashwin took only one wicket and went for 87 runs in 37 overs in the process. On a pitch that did not have a lot of seam and swing left in it, India's job inevitably became much tougher.
With every run that England made, Indian fans could sense defeat, in the match, and in the series. Ultimately a target of 245 was set for Kohli and Co, a difficult task in the fourth innings.
In India's chase, it was Moeen Ali who again stole the spotlight. The Worcestershire all-rounder took four wickets including the wickets of half-centurions Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane.
If Moeen first innings performance was not enough, his second innings exploits surely added salt to the wound. Quite clearly, the performance of the two off-spinners made all the difference in Southampton.
What happened in the fourth Test cannot be swept under the carpet. Moeen Ali is nowhere near as accomplished a bowler as Ashwin with a bowling average of 39 in 51 Tests. How and why his average climbs to 20 against India at home is something for the batsman to seriously contemplate.
But if someone like him making a comeback into the team can have such devastating effect, then it raises serious questions on why a bowler with more than 300 Test wickets cannot do the same against a vulnerable English batting line-up.
One must not forget that this is the same Moeen Ali that took five wickets over five matches in the Ashes a few months back. In the same series, the Australian off-spinner, Nathon Lyon had 21 wickets to his name.
However, at the Ageas Bowl, Ali did the basics right. Unlike Ashwin, he bowled with discipline and consistency on the rough. On an English pitch, an off-spinner is best advised to let the rough patches do the work. On the other hand, Ashwin barely hit the rough. Rather constantly changing his pace, line, and length. Ultimately to no avail.
A repeat of Centurion Test
Watching England's second innings at Southampton transpire, one was bound to have a De-Ja Vu of the Centurion Test earlier this year. In the second Test of India's South African tour, to the surprise of many, the visitors were treated to a slow and dry pitch.
It was Ashwin's first innings effort of four wickets for a rather expensive 112 runs which exposed the pitch nature to the world. Like at Southampton, heading into the second innings with a trail of only 30 runs, India had big aspirations from Ravichandran Ashwin.
In ideal conditions for him, Ashwin only took the one wicket of number 11 batsman Lungi Ngidi. His ineffectiveness led South Africa set a near-impossible target of 287 runs. Like at Southampton, with the loss, India lost the series too.
Overseas failure
In subcontinental conditions, Ashwin has taken Test cricket by storm. At this rate, he is on course on to become India's highest wicket-taker in Test history. In Just 62 Tests, Ashwin has 26 five wicket hauls and seven 10 wicket hauls. However, the story has not been so rosy for the spin talisman outside Asia. The first signs were in his first overseas tour to Australia in 2011.
After a dream debut series against West Indies, there were expectations from Ashwin to be an X-Factor Down Under. Still a mystery bowler at the time, Indian fans had a belief he will create problems for Australian batsmen. Nothing of which happened. Playing three matches, Ashwin took only nine wickets at a shambolic average of 62.77.
At that time, he was forgiven because of his inexperience. For the next two years, almost all of India's Test matches were in subcontinental conditions. In that span of time, Ashwin grew his reputation as a Test bowler with multiple decisive performances. When the time came for India's next overseas cycle, there was again high hope from Ashwin.
The season almost got off to a dream start for India in Johannesburg as the Men in Blue set South Africa a target of 458 runs to chase in the first Test. There was natural hope for a big performance from Ashwin in the fourth innings. In the end, despite bowling 36 overs, Ashwin's failure to even take a single wicket or control the run rate almost cost India the match.
For the next game, Mahendra Singh Dhoni dropped Ashwin from the team for Ravindra Jadeja. Neither in the New Zealand series, or the first three games in England, did we even see a glimpse of Ashwin in the lineup. Later, Ashwin was confined to bench in favour of rookie Karn Sharma in the opening Test of India's tour to Australia, 2014.
In the current cycle, Ashwin has a few performances to show for. The four wickets in the first innings at Centurian and seven-wicket haul in Edgbaston gave a belief to Indian fans that Ashwin has finally become the player everyone aspired him to be.
But these sporadic performances are barely enough. At the moment, they feel like aberrations. The Kings XI Punjab captain's failure to consistently produce a performance of note, has been costing dearly to the team.
In SENA conditions, a team usually relies on a lone spinner. They count on him to produce the goods when the need arises. Unlike home conditions, there is no second or third spinner to cover up for a bad day.
These are time times where heroes and legends arise. In both Centurion and Southampton, Ashwin was given the perfect opportunity to make a mark. For all of his exceptional exploits at home, not producing match-winning performances away from home remains a huge taint in Ashwin's legacy.
Is Ashwin that important?
There is a universal acceptance that Ravichandran Ashwin is a pillar of the current Indian Test team. At home, he is surely the first name on the team sheet. The same cannot be said when the team takes the field abroad.
In the SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries, Ashwin has taken 42 wickets at a rather high average of 46 in 15 matches. In the same time frame, Nathan Lyon has an average of 33 in the same places.
Even without including his home country Australia, his average remains the same with 63 wickets in 19 matches. For now, Ashwin has done more with the bat than the ball for the team outside the subcontinent.
For the current group of players, there have been three major overseas wins. In two of them, at Lords in 2014 and Johannesburg in 2018, Ashwin did not feature in the line-up. At Trent Bridge, a couple of weeks earlier, Ashwin took only one wicket in the match as he spent more time off the field with an injury. Evidently, India's big overseas wins have come without any major contribution from the team's lead spinner.
Ashwin's home record is as good as it gets. But, the favorable conditions have played a huge role. In the same time period, Ravindra Jadeja at 19.70 has a better bowling average than Ashwin's 22.79 in India. However, Ashwin has almost 100 more wickets to show for in only 10 more matches.
Time for a change
Going into the Oval Test, the team management will only be right to reconsider who do they want as their first choice spinner outside the subcontinent. Whether Ashwin is still the man, needs a revaluation.
Should India now give Jadeja a go, or give an extended run to someone like Kuldeep Yadav is something to ponder about. Or, do India stick with Ashwin in the hope that like Anil Kumble, he will be a late boomer outside the subcontinent?
Now or Never in Australia
In three month's time, India will travel to Australia. Over there, India will need Ashwin more than ever. The team cannot afford Ashwin faltering yet again. If he has to retain his place in overseas conditions, he has to start performing consistently.