Fatullah: Backing the team's decision of picking five bowlers on what looks to be a good batting track, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Wednesday said that the bowling department will certainly use their Australian experience on placid Bangladesh wickets in the ongoing one-off Test here.
Electing to bat, the Virat Kohli-led India scored 239 for no loss on the opening day as Shikhar Dhawan (150 batting) and Murali Vijay (89 batting) demolished the Bangladeshi attack, which comprises four specialist spinners. Ashwin said the Indian bowlers will certainly do better than their Bangladeshi counterparts when their time comes.
"I think it's an individual perception, they probably saw the wicket in a way they wanted to see it and we are seeing it in a different way. We have got bowlers who can exploit with 140 kmph plus, if there is a bit of reverse swing," Ashwin said at the press conference after the opening day's play.
"It's also about how the bowlers are bowling. Our bowlers have been pretty good and they have learnt a lot over the last months in Australia. We are backing ourselves and we are looking to play the best possible bowlers we have. I think every side does that, play the best possible bowlers they have," he added. With weather already threatening to play spoilsport after four hours of play was lost and only 56 overs possible on Day 1, Ashwin said India will try their best to control the "controllable".
"As far as I see it, cricket is a game where even if you look to control the controllable it is very hard. You can't really control the weather it's out of our reach and we have put our best foot forward," said 28-year-old Ashwin.
"We have played five bowlers and we will look at the best possible result. If the time is there and if we bowl really well and we get a little bit of help and a little bit of luck then we can force a result. We will look to control the controllable," he said.
Ashwin was all praise for the opening batsmen, who mixed the right dose of caution and aggression to manage a run-rate of 4.26 in the day.
"That's pretty much the way our openers bat. Shikhar plays his game usually and Vijay settles into his game. So it's pretty much what happened. There was no conscious effort in terms of we have to do this. But there is a good sense of trying to express everyone inside the team and we are looking to play with a lot of freedom and hopefully that's what is expressed outside in the field.
"And there is no particular reason why we play a particular combination. It's just about trying to add consistency from where we left off in Sydney. So that's how we are approaching it," he added.
The senior pro also defended the hosts' decision to prepare a placid batting track.
"I think it's the brand of cricket that team's play and that really pulls the crowd into the field. If you pretty much look at Test or one-day cricket around the world, it's pretty much pitched in favour of the batsman. You and I, even if I was a spectator I would turn up for a batsman hitting sixes and fours. That's how the game is headed and we need to accept and live with it.
"But having said that, the brand of cricket that pull people to watch the game and no team would try and make a wicket that will not suit them. You wouldn't want a green wicket here and see how it goes. It's about suiting their strengths and wanting to play a brand of cricket that they want to play. That's how pretty much Test matches are played home and abroad. So not really surprised," he said.
Defending the much-hyped in-house rivalry between him and comeback-man Harbhajan Singh, Ashwin said that they are two off-spinners with different strengths and weaknesses. "I will bowl the ball there and it's as simple as that. You can't really complicate things. Two different kind of off-spinners to be honest. He is going to add a lot of value, he has come with a lot of experience and that's going to bring a different dimension to the whole team and set-up."
(Agencies)
