‘We can plan batter’: Ashwin bats for more afternoon T20Is in India to combat dew, ‘Skill will go out of window’

3 days ago 7

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R Ashwin batted for more afternoon T20Is to be held in India to combat dewy conditions. (CREIMAS)

Spin legend R Ashwin has urged India to take note of the drastic effects that dew continues to have on bowlers during evening T20I games in the country. The former India off-spinner urged that in such conditions, the hosts could plan better and schedule afternoon contests that will reinstate parity between bat and ball.

Ashwin’s comments came on the back of India’s emphatic win in Raipur in the second T20I against New Zealand, where over 400 runs were scored in under 36 overs. Chasing a daunting 209-run target, India romped home in only 15.2 overs as the bowlers progressively struggled to contol the wet ball during the game.

“The games can be played in the afternoon. Teams like New Zealand will not bother because they dont have many bowlers and they know that in such conditions nothing can be done. But in teams like India, if a player has not done well in two games and comes and bowls in such conditions in the third game and goes for runs, his career will be over. It is unfair to play in such conditions.

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“How will you fight such conditions as a bowler? We can plan better. If there is dew, at least play in the day. Or choose different venues. Other countries have a record of conditions, how the wicket will react, par scores etc for every ground. We must also have such records,” Ashwin said on ‘Ash ki Baat’.

Ashwin said on such dewy evenings even Indian bowlers could be prone to unfair scrutiny as he hoped the forthcoming T20 World Cup’s Indian leg would not stick out as sore thumb.

“I really hope that the India leg matches of the T20 World Cup are not affected by dew. If it is, skill will go out of the window. I sincerely hope there is a little more due diligence on the dew factor in these venues. Once it comes in, you are dependent on the toss a lot. I don’t want to see a multination World Cup that will be dictated to a certain degree by dew. Skill should be at the fore,” remarked Ashwin.

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