When will the number one spinner in the world Ashwin get his chance to play in England?

It was a gutsy decision by Virat Kohli to not pick your ace spinner who was exceptional for team India and was the highest wicket taker in the last two years

When India's squad was announced after the toss in the first test, I felt I heard it wrong when I heard Virat saying Ashwin is not playing. I refreshed my mobile and saw the squad and it was true that India had opted for an extra seamee in Shardul Thakur ahead of Ashwin.

It was a gutsy decision by Virat Kohli to not pick your ace spinner who was exceptional for team India and was the highest wicket taker in the last two years. He also had done well in the county game where Ashwin had picked 6 wickets in an innings and every expert felt India had taken a very bold decision to leave him out and go one with one spinner in Ravindra Jadeja. Indian pacers did manage to prove the captains decision right when they bowled England out for just 183 runs and it was all by their pacers with Jadeja bowling just 3 overs. In the second innings too Jadeja just bowled 13 overs but went wicket less as it was again the pacers who got all the ten wickets for team India. Ashwin’s replacement which was Shardul Thakur picked four wickets totally in the match and got two big wickets one of Joe Root and other Jose Buttler and the decision of the skipper picking him did justify even though Shardul scored a duck in his only innings of that match.

When Michael Atherton asked Virat about Ashwin’s exclusion at the post match presentation, Virat answer was there it would be a template going ahead in the series and players would be picked according to the conditions. That means it seems Ashwin would be picked only on a spin friendly track and with Jadeja doing well with the bat by scoring a half century, it would be difficult for Ashwin to get a place in the Indian team. Again a bold answer from a captain but mind you in Australia it was Ashwin who was the most successful spinner and out bowled Nathan Lyon in that Series. Even in the World Test Championship finals, it was Ashwin who provided the breakthrough in both the innings and looked the most threatening bowler on a green wicket in Southampton. But the question is still on everyone’s mind is how can you leave out India's number one spinner? I believe Ashwin Is paying the price for being part of a squad with so many bowling options but none of them good enough to bat at number seven. If England’s weather changes drastically and the heat wave make the green pitches turn in to brown, Ashwin might be back in contention. I vividly recall an incident when Ashwin was at my office for a motivational speech. It was soon after he had just lost his place in the team playing for Champions trophy, he said, “This Indian team is very competitive, only the best get to play”. How true he was that teams are selected only on the basis of conditions and form.

Whatever happens in the next four matches for Ashwin, we shall all get to know but one thing is for sure that even the best of best players can't be assured of their place in this very talented Indian team and that’s why it keeps every player on its toes and once loss is someone's gain as we saw with Rahul grabbing with both hands his place now ahead of Mayank Agarwal.

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