R Ashwin on India’s Kanpur win: Rohit’s aggressive captaincy, relentless bowling and India’s future batting pillars Gill and Jaiswal | Cricket News
R Ashwin has been playing with Rohit Sharma for almost one and a half decades but says he was a bit surprised when Rohit Sharma charted out the plan of winning the Test after two and half days of play was lost due to rain and wet outfield.
“In the small huddle we had yesterday (on Monday) after we bowled out Bangladesh, Rohit said that we would go hammer and tong, try and make 400 runs in 50 overs and then if in that bargain, we got out under 200 it is still okay as we had made a game out of it,” Ashwin told the reporters after India’s thumping seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in Kanpur.
“We knew how Yashavi (Jaiswal) was going to play but Rohit walked out and tonked the first ball for a six and when you walk the talk, the dressing room obviously doesn’t have many other choice but to follow that pattern. We were 50 runs in 3 overs and there was no looking back after that.”
1⃣1⃣4⃣ runs with the bat1⃣1⃣ wickets with the ball
R Ashwin becomes the Player of the Series for his terrific all-round display 🫡
Scorecard – https://t.co/JBVX2gyyPf#TeamIndia | #INDvBAN | @ashwinravi99 | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/ygNcY3QhXd
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 1, 2024
Jasprit Bumrah (3/17), and Ravindra Jadeja (3/34) and R Ashwin (3/50) had each taken three wickets to help bundle Bangladesh out for 146. Chasing 95 for victory, India finished on 98 for 3 in 17.2 overs, with Yashasvi Jaiswal (51) scoring another quickfire half-century in the match.
Future pillars of Indian batting
Ashwin has showered praise on both Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Gill had scored a terrific century in the second innings of the first Test, while Jaiswal completed the series with three half-centuries to his name.
“Yashasvi Jaiswal is a special talent. He has started his international career, so has Shubman Gill,” said Ashwin. “I would say both of them are in their formative years of playing the Test cricket. But I do see that both of them are the future pillars of Indian cricket,” he said.
Ashwin also suggested that the series in Australia and England will shape their Test cricketing journey.
2⃣-0⃣
A memorable Test Victory 🙌#TeamIndia win the 2nd Test 7 wickets and win the series 👏👏
Scorecard – https://t.co/JBVX2gyyPf#INDvBAN | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/kxvsWxlNVw
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 1, 2024
“Overseas tour that we will encounter shortly will enhance and enrich their experience going forward in their wonderful Test journey. They both are special, it’s just they need to encounter new experiences in order to identify for themselves what they need to do. The raw material is there and it is pretty evident for everybody as they are high quality cricketers,” he said.
A well-oiled bowling attack
A lot has been spoken about how India brought the T20 onslaught in Test cricket on Day 4 to get them closer to the victory. But it was India’s five bowlers, who between them shared 20 wickets in 123.2 overs in a rain-affected match.
“Each one of those bowlers that bowl along with me, alongside me, have the ability to hold on to a game, bowl with discipline and yet produce wicket-taking balls. It is not just their ability alone, it is also the belief of the entire team. When Rohit says that you make 400, try and make a game out of it, it tells you that the captain believes his bowlers will get the job done,” said Ashwin.
“These bowlers have done it day in and day out. And they have the ability to pick 20 wickets. In the future, you will encounter situations where opponent batters will dominate against our bowling attack. But this bowling attack is quite special. And I really do hope that this legacy of bowling is taken forward,” he added.
