NEW DELHI:
Ravichandran Ashwin
and
Ravindra Jadeja
, the dynamic duo of
Indian cricket
, have been dominating their opponents at home with their exceptional bowling skills.
They have now surpassed the legendary Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh to become the leading wicket-takers for India in Test matches, with a combined tally of 511 wickets.
Scorecard: IND vs ENG 1st Test
In the first Test against
England
in Hyderabad,
Ashwin and Jadeja
played a crucial role in bundling out the visitors for 246 in the first innings, taking six wickets between them. However, England fought back strongly in their second innings, scoring 420 at a brisk pace, leaving the Indian spinners frustrated.
The English batsmen, led by Ollie Pope, employed a barrage of sweeps and reverse sweeps to counter the spinners' threat.
Ashwin and Jadeja did manage to take a few wickets, including the crucial dismissals of Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes. But they struggled to maintain their usual dominance on a pitch that offered a slower turn, unlike the crumbling minefield of Rajkot in the past.
Indian head coach
Rahul Dravid
had already cautioned about the pitch, stating that it might not offer a sharp turn. This turned out to be true, and Ashwin and Jadeja found it difficult to adapt to the situation. They were unable to come up with an alternative plan when the English batsmen attacked them.
Even the field placements by the Indian team were criticized. They opted for a defensive approach, spreading the field when they should have applied more pressure on the English batsmen with close-in fielders.
In contrast, England strategically placed fielders at short leg and slip to make scoring difficult for the Indian batsmen in their second innings.
However, it is hoped that the Indian team will learn from their mistakes and come up with better tactics in the second Test in Visakhapatnam.
The Hyderabad Test can be seen as an anomaly, and there is optimism that Ashwin and Jadeja will bounce back stronger in the upcoming matches.
Overall, despite the challenges faced in the first Test against England, Ashwin and Jadeja's remarkable bowling record and their ability to dominate opponents at home cannot be undermined. They remain India's formidable stormtroopers, ready to take on any challenge that comes their way.
(With inputs from PTI)
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