Ashwin was just chasing milestone – Kevin Pietersen. Ashwin made a huge contribution in the second innings, taking three wickets.
Ravichandran Ashwin is on the verge of achieving a historic milestone in Test cricket, but former England cricket great Kevin Pietersen believes the pursuit may have influenced his recent performance. Ashwin now has 499 Test wickets, putting him on the verge of joining the prestigious 500 club. Which is currently held by just Anil Kumble among Indian spinners. However, Pietersen believes the spinner’s desire may have influenced his bowling during India’s latest Test against England.
Despite this scrutiny, India’s dominant display in the second Test showcased the team’s resilience. Led by Rohit Sharma, the hosts orchestrated a commanding performance, with emerging talents Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill shining brightly with the bat. Additionally, Jasprit Bumrah’s stellar pace bowling underscored his status as one of the premier pacers in world cricket. Meanwhile, veteran spinner Ashwin, despite falling short of the milestone,
“Ashwin was just trying to reach a milestone. That is why he did not bowl as well as he should have. On times, he got things right. I believed he was far more dangerous bowling broader outside off-stump around the wicket. I believe he bowled over the wicket far too frequently to the right-handers. “He can change bowling over-bowling around-bowling over more,” Pietersen stated, according to NDTV Sports.
“I’m never going to claim he doesn’t have it or that the England bowlers have exposed him. He is an excellent bowler with some significant accomplishments. It is about the team, not the individual. He’ll want one more wicket, and when he gets it, you’ll notice he’s a lot more relaxed, his shoulder drops, and I can just go on with the game,” he said.
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Indian bowlers wreak havoc on Day 4 of second Test
In a thrilling fight of bat and ball, India’s bowlers triumphed, scoring a convincing 106-run victory over England in the second Test. The match was marked by ups and downs, with England starting Day 4 at 67 for one and striving for a difficult total of 399 runs. However, their aggressive batting style, known as ‘Bazball’, failed against India’s tenacious bowling assault. Despite England’s brave efforts, they were dismiss for 292 during the late afternoon session. India’s valiant performance saw them take nine key wickets in two sessions, tying the five-match series 1-1.
