India vs Australia: Sticking with Ravichandran Ashwin despite questionable fitness shows Indian cricket's over-reliance on spinner

Is Ravichandran Ashwin’s fitness a ‘riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma’? Winston Churchill thought so of the Russians but it now seems perfectly fine to allude the same to Ashwin’s fitness. India’s skipper Virat Kohli told mediapersons that Ashwin was not physically fit to play the Sydney Test. Yet, strangely, the Indian team list released later  included his name in the roster of 13. [caption id=“attachment_5693261” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Ravichandran Ashwin. AFP[/caption] It matters little that the team would take a final call on the morning of the Test. What is particularly inconvenient is his history of missing Tests due to injuries. This has played havoc with the team’s plans once too often. Ashwin missed one Test in South Africa, two in England and already two in Australia at extremely inopportune moments. In all probability, the team management would convince him to play the final Test even if he is just 80 percent fit. That could be the sole reason for including him in the 13. The Sydney Cricket Ground pitch has a tradition of being spin-friendly and Ashwin, with his new-found ability to bowl well overseas, would be an asset against a line-up laden with left-hand batsmen. This apart, the last Test Ashwin played was in Adelaide which finished on 10 December. Even then, it was apparent that he was not fully fit, especially in the second innings when he seemed to be bowling gingerly. That was three weeks ago. Why was the team’s support staff unable to gauge his fitness level then? This inability to ascertain a player’s fitness and work on his rehabilitation speaks very poorly of the team’s support staff. Logically, Ashwin should have been sent home immediately and a replacement off-spinner summoned. The latter could have got acclimatised and been ready for the crucial Sydney Test. It could have been either Jayant Yadav, who is a BCCI-contracted player, or Jalaj Saxena, who, like Mayank Agarwal, has been in record-breaking spree with both bat and ball in domestic cricket. This would have been the ideal thing to do; except that Indian cricket is unfortunately obsessed with personalities rather than issues. Ashwin, like so many other big names of the past, has been treated with kid gloves rather than being dispassionately assessed for form and fitness. Perhaps, had the selectors been big names they would not have had any qualms about dropping a star player on fitness grounds. But that is not the situation and niggling problems like these that act counter to Indian cricket’s interests are allowed to linger. Hopefully, coach Ravi Shastri, skipper Virat Kohli, and the team physio would still be able to squeeze the last bit out of Ashwin in this hour of need. In any case, there is a cover for him in the form of part-time off-spinner Hanuma Vihari. This apart, the tour party has really scrapped the bottom of the barrel to bring back KL Rahul. He was dropped for lack of form and hasn’t played any cricket to suggest that he is back in form. But Rohit Sharma’s absence has thrust him once again on the team. If he comes good, so be it. But logically, he should not have been in the 13. The same goes for Umesh Yadav who comes in place of an injured Ishant Sharma. Ishant was well handled by Kohli as the team cantered to a win at the MCG. But it was apparent even then that at least one of the fast bowlers would have to bow out for the final Test. In all probability, Umesh might still not be one of the fast bowlers in the playing eleven on the morrow. The tour party could use just Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, with Hardik Pandya (not in the 13 but could be a surprise inclusion) as the third seamer. Ravindra Jadeja, Ashwin, and Vihari could be the spin options. Hopefully, Bumrah, Shami and Jadeja are fit enough to shoulder most of the bowling responsibility, with Ashwin, Pandya and Vihari used on a need-to basis. India cannot afford to look for a draw. They have to play to win. Their batsmen need to put enough runs on the board to give the bowlers a chance to work their magic. Hopefully, now that they have all been around in Australia for a considerable amount of time, the pitches would no longer be a cause for apprehension. A good first innings total would be just the knot to tighten the noose around the home team. After that, Ashwin or no Ashwin, India should steal the thunder Down Under.