Ind vs WI 1st Test | The Ashwin Effect - Decimated the West Indian Batting Line-up

image-lk57znycRavichandran Ashwin picked up 12 wickets in the first Test vs West Indies (Source: Twitter)

Ravichandran Ashwin’s spin magic assisted India to a dominant win with an innings and 141 runs against West Indies in the first test match at the Windsor Park on Friday and India go one-up in the series. During the first test match, Ashwin also completed his 8th ten-wicket haul and equalled the record of Anil Kumble for the most ten-wicket hauls by an Indian bowler in test cricket. 7/71 and 12/131 were also the best bowling performances of Ashwin in an away test match.

In the first innings, Ashwin grabbed five wickets by giving away just 60 runs on the first day of the test match, it was noticeable because he achieved this feat when the pitch was best suitable for the batters. He troubled every West Indian batter with his spin and variations. West Indies got all out on just 150 runs in the first innings, in response to it, India scored 421 runs with loss of 5 wickets and they decided to declare the innings. 

Debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal achieved a fantastic century and scored 171 runs. Captain Rohit Sharma also scored a century after a long gap. In the second innings, West Indies again fell to a trap of Ashwin, he took the wickets of seven West Indian batters and helped India win the first match of the series competently. Over the course of three days, India dominated the hosts in every session.



Ashwin's Masterclass: How He Outfoxed the Caribbean Batters

image-lk55hclsAshwin’s Wickets Pitch Map Analysis

In the first innings, Ashwin took the wickets of both the openers, he bowled a classic off-spin to the left hander, Chanderpaul, the ball drifted in and then held its line to beat the outside edge and hit the stumps, for Brathwaite he bowled a bit wide and he tried to hit against the spin and fell after a playing a poor shot.

Ashwin cleared the West Indian tail without much delay and grabbed the other three wickets including the set batsman, Athanaze and the other two, Joseph and Warrican. In the second innings, again he dismissed West Indian captain, Brathwaite, he bowled a similar ball, which went with the angle and took the outside edge of the bat and Rahane made no mistakes at first slip.

For Blackwood, he gave some air and pitched it on off-stump, it turned abruptly and beat the inside edge of the bat and Blackwood was plumb in front of the stumps. Ashwin bowled amazingly throughout his spells in this test match, and West Indian batters had no answers against his deliveries. He finished with seven wickets in the second innings.



Conclusion

A blustering comeback from Ashwin after he was dropped for the WTC Final and he recorded his best bowling figures in an away test match. In Test matches, Ashwin has consistently troubled the West Indian batsmen with his off-spin bowling. He has been successful in picking up wickets and providing breakthroughs for the Indian team. Ashwin's variations in spin, flight, and subtle changes in pace have often proved to be challenging for the West Indian batsmen.

Ashwin broke many records during the test match, one major record that he achieved was to become the second-most international wicket taker for India. Ashwin has outshone Harbhajan Singh’s tally of 707 international wickets and is second only to Anil Kumble, who collected 953 international wickets for India, Ashwin currently has 709 wickets to his name.