Team India captain Rohit Sharma has revealed that he learned some important tips on how to lead home spinners in Test matches by observing his predecessor Virat Kohli. The opener claimed that for the spinners to be able to make a constant impact in India, the opposition had to be kept on the back foot.
Rohit-led India beat Australia in one play and 132 runs in the First Test in Nagpur on Saturday, 11 February. The Australian was eliminated 91 in the second as Ravichandran Ashwin took the win. won 5/37. In the first innings, left-handed spinner Ravindra Jadeja won a five-throw in his comeback as Australia ranked 177 after winning the first throw and hit.
When asked about his captaincy philosophy regarding the top spinners in the Home Tests, Rohit said at a post-match meeting:
“When I was playing as a player and Virat was their captain, I noticed that even if we didn’t get a single racket, that pressure had to be there for the opponent to make mistakes. wrong. That’s what I learned when Virat was captain and these guys were bowling. That’s what I’m trying to do now. Just apply that pressure; don’t get too excited. You must keep it.
About the challenge of commanding quality gyros like Ashwin, Jadeja and Axar Patel, Rohit made an interesting comparison. He talk that:
“It’s like being captain Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc in Australia. Quite similar. When you have the quality of Axar, Jadeja and Ash, having played in India for many years, it’s always a blessing. They never disappoint.
“The conditions are there, yes, but you also have to go out and extract those conditions. They have played on such surfaces a lot. So they know exactly what to do, what areas to hit.”
While Jade and Ashwin dominated the proceedings, Axar managed only one stick. However, he contributed an important 84 goal with the stick.
“A lot of skill went into his skills” – Rohit Sharma on Ashwin
While Todd Murphy asked for seven wicks for Australia on his Test debut, senior off-spin player Nathan Lyon had a poor run. He only managed once in 49 passes.
As for why Ashwin poses a different kind of threat in India in contrast to other cameramen, Rohit attributes it to experience and skill. He further explained:
“Ash played cricket a lot in India. He’s nearing the end of 100 Tests and I’m pretty sure he’s played more Tests in India. A lot of overs went into his skill. He can hit the carrom, the slide and the top gyro.
“The guy has everything. He can extract a lot thanks to his skill set. He’s getting better and better, you’ll see him every time.”
After playing 89 Tests, Ashwin won 457 hits at an average of 24.05, with 31 hits five hits.
