Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Rashid Latif reckoned that India bowling all-rounder Ravi Ashwin isn’t an “all-time great”. His statement contradicted the one from Test skipper Rohit Sharma, who lauded the Tamil Nadu-born veteran for his performances in India’s win over Sri Lanka at the PCA Stadium in Mohali.
The hosts took a 1-0 lead in the two-match series after beating Lanka by an innings and 222 runs. Sharma and Co. took less than three days to draw curtains on the game. Ashwin had an excellent outing in the game, although it was Ravindra Jadeja, who won the Player of the Match award.
Ashwin picked up six wickets in the game, including a four-wicket haul in Sri Lanka’s second innings. He also chipped in with a 61-run knock of 82 balls with eight fours in the first innings. He also surpassed Kapil Dev as India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Tests after Anil Kumble.
Latif said that Ashwin’s numbers in home conditions are exceptional, but the same can’t be said about his performances overseas. Latif felt that Sharma called Ashwin an “all-time great” to motivate the other cricketers in the Indian team.
Rashid Latif speaks on Ravi Ashwin
“If you look at Ashwin in home conditions with SG ball, no doubt he is the best spinner in India. However, in away conditions, I would not agree with his (Rohit’s) statement,” Latif said.
“If we talk only in India, no doubt he is good. I think it (Rohit’s statement) might have been a slip of tongue. It is a way of motivating the players,” he added.
Ashwin has picked up 436 wickets from 85 matches with 30 five-wicket hauls and seven 10-wicket hauls. The tweaker has also been touted to surpass Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan’s tally of 800 Test wickets in the future.
Ashwin has been in and out of the team in overseas Tests, but at home, he has been a fulcrum of the Test team. He also has scored five Test tons against the West Indies and England. He was also the leading wicket-taker in the 2019-21 World Test Championship (WTC) where India finished as the runners-up. Ashwin, recently, also made his comeback in limited-overs cricket.
