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"Lack Of Awareness": Ashwin Harshly Critics Gill For Neglecting Spinners In Oval Test

Soumyajit Dutta

Ashwin slams Gill's captaincy decisions on spinners [Source: @haiderali/X.com]Ashwin slams Gill's captaincy decisions on spinners [Source: @haiderali/X.com]

An engaging thriller at the end of Day 4 at The Oval was brought to an early close because of bad light. While England only requires 35 runs to seal the series win against India in London, the seamers have tightened their grip with quick wickets in the last session of the play on Sunday.

However, former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is not happy with the development. The CSK spinner slammed the Indian think tank and captain Shubman Gill for the underusage of spinners in the match.

Ashwin Bashes Gill's Under Usage Of Spinners

Speaking on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat, Ashwin bashed the spinner's negligence and labelled it as the main reason that has cost India the series.

"Coming back to the topic of spinners not being used, I have felt in this series that there has been a lack of game awareness and, in many ways, our tactical acumen—both on and off the field. This primary factor accounts for England's lead in this series, while India trails behind. We haven't been the sharpest,” Ashwin said.

Taking on Gill's role as a captain, Ashwin was a bit lenient but didn't mince his words while criticising the missed opportunity to utilise the spinners.

“I feel Shubman Gill will get much better as a captain. He will learn. But sometimes, if you feel that you can play spin really well, you might not bring spinners into the attack. And when you miss the right moment to introduce spinners in these conditions, they become a defensive option,” Ashwin added.

Ashwin Elaborates On Tactical Fault

Ashwin further elaborated on how Harry Brook, who has scored a magnificent ton to dash India's hopes early, could have been stopped by bringing in Washington Sundar into the attack early.

“When Harry Brook started taking it on, after 20 runs, you could have brought on the spinner to choke the run flow. From the other end, a pacer could have bowled. With all this in mind, Washington Sundar could have been introduced earlier into the attack. Making these mistakes creates a huge gap. We don’t know whether the message is going from outside to the middle. We don’t know what’s being discussed in the dressing room. But in today’s day and age, these mistakes can definitely be avoided,” Ashwin concluded.

Now, the match leans towards England in all the possibilities. With a whole day of play left and four wickets in hand, the Three Lions are all set to take the game and the series. However, a fightback from Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj on Day 4 sparked hopes for Indian fans, and it is now on these seamers again to restrict the English batters if they can, to end the series in a draw.