On the eve of second test against Sri Lanka at VCA stadium Nagpur, Team India’s captain Virat Kohli made it clear that he can’t guarantee permanent first XI slots for Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja when the team travels to South Africa, where in all probability, a single spinner will play.
“I can’t commit to that 100 per cent when we play abroad that we will be playing with two spinners, to be honest. It is because we need to have a look at the balance of the side as well. Obviously, those two guys with their batting abilities are both contenders to start a Test match depending upon the batsmen we are up against in the opposition,” Kohli said, ahead of the 2nd Test against Sri Lanka in Nagpur from Friday.
“It’s very important to understand if a left-arm spinner is bowling to five right-handers or the off-spinner is bowling to four left-handers. Just because of the angle the ball coming in makes so much difference against a spinner. And it can turn away from you at some stage in the Test match. Those are very minor factors that you assess before picking the first spinner in overseas conditions” he added further.
Pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami and Umesh Yadav took took all the of the Sri Lankan wickets that fell in the first Test at Eden Gardens.
This was the first time in 262 Tests at home that no Indian spinner could take a wicket in a Test.
India’s premier spinner Ravichandran Ashwin bowled just eight overs in the first innings, conceding 13 runs but failed to dismiss a single batsman. Ashwin didn’t bowl a single over in the second innings.
