Ind vs SA, 2nd Test: There was not enough on offer for the spinners, says R Ashwin

R Ashwin praised his colleague Ravindra Jadeja’s efforts during the post-lunch session. (Source: PTI)

A four-wicket haul in his kitty on the opening day itself but Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Saturday said there wasn’t “enough turn on offer” at the Chinnaswamy Stadium where the South Africans were all out for 214 in the second Test.

Ashwin praised his colleague Ravindra Jadeja’s efforts during the post-lunch session.

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“I don’t think there was enough on offer for the spinners as we were not beating the bat as often as we have done in Mohali. But Jadeja was very, very good in the session after lunch bottling one end up, which precisely was our plan. They played a few false shots. We were conscious at the end that we might go for 50-60 runs in the last 2-3 wickets, but we were pretty aware of what was going to come our way,” Ashwin told mediapersons at the end of the day’s play.

Both Ashwin and Jadeja now have 12 wickets from three completed innings but the Tamil Nadu bowler ruled out that there is any competition with the Saurashtra left-arm spinner.

“I haven’t given it a thought. I am going about doing my own work. When Jaddu is bowling, I try to share my experiences with him. He knows his strengths and limitations and what really works for him. For a team like us, in the afternoon sessions, he comes in very handy. He is very accurate. In Test cricket, it is important to know what you can get out of a particular cricketer,” explained Ashwin.

By his own admission, Ashwin has become more confident and a testimony to that is the fact that he has not kept a fielder at cover region while bowling as off-spinners are normally wary about batsmen hitting them for cover drive.

“From Sri Lanka, I have not put a cover in place. There have been times I have been cut through backward point when I have dropped the ball short. But it was a conscious decision and nothing has fallen in wrong place. It gives me a chance to open out and create more options. In a way, it has got to do with confidence and a bit of proper planning of not having a cover in place.”

The spinner felt that he always has a 60-40 chance against a new man in.

“Whenever a batsman walks out there, I give myself a 60-40 chance. I think I have the best chance to beat the batsman in the first 20 minutes, when he is around. Especially, the way it is coming out of my hand, I am confident of beating anybody in the air in the first 20 minutes.

“Today Duminy had a plan when he came out to bat. He knew what kind of shots he wanted to play and I knew where essentially I should not be bowling. Today was case of good bowling and a lot of pressure being built from both ends,” a satisfied Ashwin said.

Aswhin praised Ajinkya Rahane’s efforts in the slips.

“There aren’t too much chopping and changing as far as slip fielder is concerned. We all have faith in Ajinkya and we want him to be there. Today, the catch he took to dismiss Duminy wasn’t as easy as he made it look.”

The leader of spin attack also said that at no point did they feel that AB de Villiers would take the game away from them.

“There were occasions today, when he (AB) was edgy and not completely taking the game away from us. Obviously, he knows this ground and his angles well and the regions where he wants to hit. You really need a good delivery to prise him out. But it didn’t cross our mind that one man can take this away.”

The decision by Virat Kohli to field was a “rational one” according to Ashwin due to the dampness of the pitch and its history of having something for the bowlers on the first day.

He said that spinners will find it difficult when the sun comes out during the second and third day and wants the batsmen to bat as long as possible to put pressure on the Proteas during the second innings.