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Off-spinner’s retirement marks end of famed ‘spin twins’ but allrounder says no one is irreplaceable
MELBOURNE: In one sudden move, a citadel lies in ruins. The Ravindra Jadeja-Ravichandran Ashwin combine, one of the game’s greatest ever spin-bowling pairs, has met an untidy end with Ashwin’s abrupt retirement.
If the end of their era deserved a more sentimental flourish, Ravindra Jadeja was having none of it on Saturday as the Indian team hit the nets here at the MCG.
“Move on toh hona hi padega (one must move on),” Jadeja said. “Hopefully, Indian cricket will get a good spinner and allrounder in Ashwin’s place. In India, aisa to hai nehi ki koi uski jagah nehi le sakta (it’s not as if there’s nobody to replace Ashwin).
“Whoever goes, we get some replacement or the other. It’s also good for the youngsters. Whichever youngster replaces him will get a good opportunity to prove himself at this level,” he added.
Jadeja isn’t someone to wax philosophical, and his pragmatic approach to what he termed an unexpected move from Ashwin is probably best for the team heading into the crucial fourth Test.
“I got to know at the last moment (about the retirement), just five minutes before he came for the press conference. Someone informed me. The whole day we were sitting together, and he didn’t even give me a hint. Ashwin ko to sab jante hi hai, uska dimaag kaisa hai (everyone knows he’s a bit quirky),” Jadeja said with a smile.
The pair, which came together in Dec 2012 in Nagpur against England, formed the impenetrable core of India’s home domination for over a decade. In tandem, they bowled in 58 Tests, 49 of them at home, and earned a 71.42 home win percentage, with only six losses.
Ashwin was the shape shifter, possessing the rare skill to constantly remake himself. Jadeja could bend steel with relentless accuracy.
They are both very different personalities but fed off each other’s strengths, improving their career averages when they bowled together. Away from home, though, they were often competitors for the lone spinner’s slot.
“Obviously he was like an on-field mentor,” Jadeja said. “As a bowling partner for so many years, we kept passing messages to each other. What the situation of the match is, what shots the batters are looking to play, how best to plan as a pair. All these things I will miss very much.”
The end of their hunt marks a line in the sand for spin bowling in general, and probably ends, for now, India’s long tradition of spinners hunting in pairs. Jadeja, however, said the absence of Ashwin wouldn’t have an immediate impact on him.
Spinners have taken only seven wickets compared to 86 by the pacers in the three Tests played in this series so far, and Jadeja said his role as a support act to the pacers wasn’t about to change either at the MCG.
“My mindset won’t change with Ashwin’s departure. Every match situation is different and that dictates the mindset in a particular game,” Jadeja said.
Will there be more responsibility, now that Ashwin is gone?
“In India when we play, the spinners have a greater role to play. Here, it’s only a supporting role because the wickets don’t offer much help,” he said.
“One has to bowl a good line and length, decide the field accordingly and keep bowling in that manner. In Australia, I don’t think there will be talk of greater responsibility on me. From the last Test to this one, I don’t think my role will change. But yes, definitely when we play in India, there will be greater responsibility.”
After making Jadeja sit out of the first two Tests, India found out in Brisbane just how crucial his presence is in the XI. While he was a bit flat with the ball in unfriendly conditions, Jadeja rescued India with a well-made 77, putting on 67 vital runs with KL Rahul.
The knock eventually enabled India to avoid the follow on and save the rain-affected Test.
Jadeja, as usual, made light of his omission. “It just gave me more time to work hard in the nets,” he said. “It’s satisfying to score runs outside India, especially when the team is in trouble. It has also boosted my confidence. I’ll try to maintain the rhythm and momentum in the coming games.”
‘Top order should get more runs’
Jadeja was also unequivocal in stating that the team needs a larger contribution from the top and middle order. “Even if we win one (of the remaining two Tests), we can retain the trophy. When you play outside India, especially in places like Australia and South Africa, it becomes important for the toporder to score runs.
“If they cannot contribute in these conditions, definitely there is more pressure on the middle and lower-middle order. As a team we need the top-order to perform. That said, as a batting unit if everyone contributes, the team will do well.”
Even if the script doesn’t go India’s way eventually, Jadeja has already spied the positives. “The youngsters need to get more experience in these conditions,” he said.
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