'Play negative, defensive cricket': Ashwin's bold advice for Shubman Gill to target England's bazball

Ravichandran Ashwin has shared some unique advice for India captain Shubman Gill ahead of the second Test against England at Edgbaston. The former India spinner believes that the best way to stop England’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ style is by playing defensive and negative cricket, especially when Jasprit Bumrah is not bowling.

Ashwin said that England’s strategy is quite simple, adding that they survive Bumrah and attack everyone else. Ashwin said that India should be smart and use their other bowlers to contain England’s scoring, even if it looks negative and defensive cricket.

“It’s not about how many overs Jasprit Bumrah will bowl. It’s about how we keep the pressure on if Bumrah isn’t bowling. So this game is very straightforward, ‘We will play Bumrah carefully and then Bazball everyone else’. That is pretty much what England will do,” Ashwin said.

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“So, as a bowling unit, we should make strategies to play some defensive, negative cricket. The kind of wickets England are making, we should play negative, defensive cricket and ask our bowlers to contain them more,” he added.

Ashwin on how Gill should operate 

Ashwin gave an example of field placements and tactics. He also said that the idea of always going for wickets is a myth. Ashwin believes that if India want to bounce back in the series, they must play both Bumrah and Kuldeep to build pressure and must make sure that other bowlers are not leaking too many runs from the opposite end.

“I am telling, let’s keep the fielders on one side, keep fine leg as well, let the England batters get out by lap sweeps. Just contain them a bit when Bumrah isn’t bowling, even if it looks defensive, even when the commentators are going to say ’that’s defensive cricket’. It doesn’t matter. Delay their batting time and run-scoring, and wickets will fall,” Ashwin said.

“The whole point of ‘going for the wickets’, be it Test cricket or T20 cricket, is all a lie. Pressure gives you wickets. When a bowler keeps a batter at one end for 10 balls and then delivers a good ball, that’s what we call rhythm. You have to put the batters under pressure without giving runs, bottling him up. Testing his technique inside out. So if India want to win the second Test, play Bumrah, even Kuldeep Yadav and make sure the rest of the bowlers are bottling one end up,” he added.

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India lost the first Test match by 5 wickets after bowlers failed to defend a 371-run target in the final innings. India will be eager to make a comeback in the five-match contest by winning the second Test at Edgbaston and levelling the series.