"I would want to see R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja play together away from home" - Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir wants Team India to play R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in tandem regularly, even in overseas Tests.

Ashwin and Jadeja dished out all-round performances on Day 2 of the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka. While the latter smashed an unbeaten 175 and snared a wicket, the former scored 61 runs and accounted for a couple of scalps.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Gautam Gambhir expressed his wish to see Ashwin and Jadeja playing together on foreign shores more often. He reasoned:

"I would want to see R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja play together away from home - whether it is South Africa, Australia, New Zealand or England. We say at times that two spinners cannot play together but if you have two such quality spinners and Jadeja can give you quality batting like this at No. 7, then there is no problem in that."

The former India cricketer added that even overseas pitches assist the spinners towards the latter stages of the Test match. Gambhir observed:

"To win a Test match you need to pick 20 wickets. Test cricket is not just the game of the first innings and wherever you go, the ball starts turning in the third or fourth innings."

Gambhir pointed out that apart from their ability with the bat, the two spinners can play dual roles with the ball. He explained:

"Ashwin and Jadeja are both bowlers who can bat as well, it can give you an exceptional attack. You can control the game also and give breaks to your fast bowlers as well. Along with that, even if there is a slight help from the pitch, Jadeja and Ashwin can become a lethal combination."

Ashwin and Jadeja have featured together in just four Tests in the SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries. The latter's growing prowess with the bat might allow Team India to play the duo in tandem more often going forward.

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"R Ashwin disappointed me a little on the last tour of South Africa" - Gautam Gambhir

R Ashwin was not at his best in the Test series against South Africa

However, Gambhir did acknowledge that Ashwin was a bit of a letdown on the last overseas tour of South Africa. He said:

"R Ashwin disappointed me a little on the last tour of South Africa because the experience he has and the sort of bowler he is, I would want to see him bowl with an attacking mindset. We have seen two types of Ashwin, the Melbourne spell he bowled was according to me, the best spell by an off-spinner but in South Africa he bowled with an extremely defensive thinking."

R Ashwin picked up just three wickets in the three-Test series against South Africa. He looked slightly out of sorts and did not cause many problems for the Proteas batters.

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