Ashwin retirement: Four spinners who could break into the In…

India’s chief deputy R. Ashwin announced his retirement at a press conference after the fifth day of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy third Test between India and Australia in Brisbane on Wednesday.

The 38-year-old ended his international career with 537 Test wickets, trailing only Anil Kumble’s 619. The all-rounder also picked 156 ODI wickets and 71 T20I wickets, becoming India’s second-highest wicket-taker across formats.

Apart from his performances with the ball, the Tamil Nadu cricketer has also scored 3503 runs at an average of 25.75 and scored six Test centuries.

Also Read | Ashwin punches above his weight as nothing comes easy for him: WV Raman

Eleven Man-of-the-Series awards, the joint-most in Test history, validate his status as one of India’s biggest match-winners in the longest format of the game.

Ashwin plays a vital role in the Indian team, especially in home Tests, so there is an urgent need to find a successor.

Here are the four spinners who can replace Ashwin in the Indian Test squad:

washington sundar

Of all the options on this list, Washington Sundar is the most similar and he seems to be the first choice of the current Indian coaching staff. The Tamil Nadu cricketer was favored over Ashwin in the first BGT Test in Perth but did not play a significant role with the ball.

India’s Washington Sundar celebrates taking the wicket of Australia’s Nathan Lyon on day four of the first Test match of the series between Australia and India at the Perth Stadium. |Image source: Getty Images

Sundar’s batting prowess will ensure that the balance of the Indian team remains intact, a key aspect of India’s dominance at home over the past decade. The off-spinner has picked 24 wickets and scored 387 runs in 7 Tests so far, with the option of batting higher in the order if required.

Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav is already a veteran of 106 ODIs and 40 T20Is. The left-arm wrist spinner has played just 13 Tests in seven years. The 30-year-old picked 56 wickets at an average of 22.16 in the longest format, including four five-wicket hauls.

FILE PHOTO: India’s Kuldeep Yadav appeals for a lower weight on the second day of the first cricket Test match between India and New Zealand at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. |Photo credit: PTI

The biggest obstacle for Kuldeep in finding a place in the starting XI is the lack of lower-order batting for him and the pace attack. But the left-arm leg-spinner has taken a giant step forward with the bat. Since Nitish Reddy’s performance in the whites was too impressive, India could include the two in the starting XI in the home Tests to replace the retired Ashwin.

Tanush Kotian

Another off-spinner who has impressed in the domestic arena is Mumbai’s Tanush Kotian. The 26-year-old also falls into the category of bowling all-rounder, which fits the hole left by Ashwin’s retirement.

FILE PHOTO: India A’s Tanush Kotian celebrates Australia A’s Ollie Davies’ third goal during the match between Australia A and India A at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. pillar gate. |Image source: Getty Images

Kotian has 101 wickets in 33 FC games at an average of 25.70 and was part of the India A team that toured Australia before BGT. He also scored 1525 runs at an average of 41.21, including 250 runs.

Axar Patel

Axar Patel has played the role of India’s third-choice spinner during the home Test seasons over the past few years. The 30-year-old has taken 55 wickets in 14 games at an impressive average of 19.34. Combined with 646 runs, the bat has a healthy average of 35.88.

FILE PHOTO: India’s Axar Patel bats during the third day of the second cricket test match between India and England at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam. |Photo source: DEEPAK KR/The Hindu

Despite the impressive numbers, Patel’s resemblance to Ravindra Jadeja has been the main reason for his exclusion. With two left-arm spinners, India will miss out on a bowler who can turn the ball away from right-handed batsmen.