Speaking to Michael Atherton on Sky Sports at the toss for India’s fourth Test against England at the Oval, Virat Kohli was asked the million-dollar question as to why Ravichandran Ashwin continues to be omitted from the side. Kohli explained that England’s four left-handers, and his seamers’ tendency to bowl over the wicket to them, creates a nice amount of rough for Ravindra Jadeja to then bowl into. He also suggested Jadeja offers his side a good balance, but many would no doubt counter that the more threatening spin of Ashwin grants a similar coherence to the side given his five Test hundreds.
This is the reason given by India’s most successful Test captain for not selecting India’s greatest (and most in-form at the series start) bowler, and possibly the greatest ever bowler in #cricket history against left-handers!#ENGvIND #ENGvsIND #Cricketpic.twitter.com/dMz02swKgh
— Rav (@rav_man0) September 2, 2021