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"Don't play on such pitches if...": Ashwin slams India batters for poor show against spin

Soumyajit Dutta

Ravichandran Ashwin [Source: @itsme_rrr9438/X.com]Ravichandran Ashwin [Source: @itsme_rrr9438/X.com]

Ravichandran Ashwin slammed Indian batters for not tackling the South Africa spinners on a square turner pitch like Eden Gardens. After a shambolic collapse of the hosts while chasing 124 runs to seal the victory, Ashwin was out and about for the dismal showing of batters who couldn't even post 50+ in two innings.

Ashwin names former greats as better players of spin

Ashwin gave examples of figures like Amol Muzumdar, Mithun Manhas and even Sachin Tendulkar to testify to the fact that earlier batters were capable of handling spin better than the current bench of Indian batters.

"I am gonna stick my neck out and say in another game in an era where spin bowling was combated very well. I will take the names Amol Muzumdar and Mithun Manhas, who is the BCCI President, and I won't take all the names, but Sachin Tendulkar in his prime, the God of Cricket," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Ashwin expressed that if India wants to dominate on home pitches, their players should learn to tackle spin on turning tracks so that they don't set up a trap for themselves.

"If these guys had played on the same wicket against spin, this game would have gone to four days. In a total of 16 batters, only three to four players have defended well. If you want to play on turning tracks, then your game against spin has to be good; otherwise, don't play on such pitches as simple," Ashwin added.

Ashwin voices for more practice against spin

Ashwin further slams the lack of quality spin players because of not practising against them enough. Though Ashwin regarded India as superior players of fast bowling, he emphasised the need to handle spinners.

"We are the best players of spin going around in the world at this point in time. Most Western teams are better than India now because they come to India, they practice it a lot more, but we don't practice enough of it. But we are superior players of fast bowling in many other venues right now because we consider that as a challenge, but not this. That is the difference," Ashwin added.

Nevertheless, having won a Test in India for the first time since 2010, South Africa can clinch the series in the second match, beginning November 22 in Assam.