He is a bonafide legend with 536 Test wickets but the imminent future isn't looking bright for Ravichandran Ashwin, who might not get to roll his arm in the current Border-Gavaskar Trophy unless any of the remaining four tracks warrants two spinners
If the tracks on offer continue to assist seam and bounce like in Perth, the 38-year-old may find it very difficult to make it to the playing eleven unless team management's first choice Washington Sundar bowls badly
The template has been set in Perth and even in Pink Ball Test, it is unlikely for Team India to change as far as bowling combination is concerned
Interestingly, Ashwin's best figures in Australia and all SENA countries came during the last Day/Night test in Adelaide in 2021 when he got 4/55 in the hosts' only innings
The difference between Washington and Ashwin is obviously age and the younger man is extracting more bounce and zip off the surface
Ravichandran Ashwin has 71 wickets in 43 completed innings in SENA countries. The best figures are 4 for 55 and the strike rate is 83.7 balls per wicket
Ravindra Jadeja has 52 wickets from 35 completed innings and one five-wicket haul (6/138) back in 2014. Jadeja's strike rate is identical - 83.7 balls (14 overs per wicket)
Now Jadeja got preference all these years because he had five half-centuries and a hundred in these countries with a batting average of nearly 30. Ashwin has two half-centuries
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