"You will see these sights repeatedly in this entire series" - Irfan Pathan says Ravichandran Ashwin will consistently trouble the Aussies

Irfan Pathan believes Ravichandran Ashwin will continue to enjoy the upper hand against the Australian batters in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Ashwin registered figures of 5/37 as India bowled out Australia for a paltry 91 in their second innings of the first Test in Nagpur on Saturday, February 11. The wily off-spinner also picked up three wickets in the first essay, with the hosts registering an emphatic innings and 132 run-win to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Pathan was asked why Australian batters' plans didn't work against Ravichandran Ashwin, to which he responded:

"They are not going to work as well. You will see these sights repeatedly in this entire series, whether there is more or less help from the pitch. His variations will consistently trouble them."

The former Indian all-rounder added that Ashwin will become even more threatening if Australia field Mitchell Starc in their playing XI in the next game, explaining:

"Remember one thing - a left-arm bowler didn't play in this match. If Mitchell Starc plays in the next match, Ashwin will be even happier while bowling because he will get the rough closer to the stumps. The combination of a left-armer and a right-arm off-spinner is amazing. He is from Australia but will help Ravichandran Ashwin more."

Five of Ashwin's eight dismissals in the Nagpur Test came against left-handers. The off-spinner will be more penetrative against the right-handers if a left-arm seamer creates a rough outside their off stump.

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"You cannot duplicate the skillset" - Deep Dasgupta on Australia using a Ravichandran Ashwin replica for their preparations

Ravichandran Ashwin has a plethora of tricks in his arsenal. [P/C: BCCI]

Deep Dasgupta highlighted that Australia wouldn't be able to replicate Ashwin's skillset by onboarding a similar bowler in the form of Mahesh Pithiya as part of their preparations, elaborating:

"They brought a bowler whose action is similar to Ashwin's. It is fine that you did that prep, you are trying, but Ashwin's brain is different. You cannot duplicate the skillset that he has, the full array he has - whether it is the flipper, carrom ball or the ball he bowls with a single finger."

While highlighting that Ashwin is a calculative bowler, the former Indian wicketkeeper questioned the Aussies regarding the mindset behind their preparations, stating:

"You cannot replicate the brain, we saw the way he dismissed Alex Carey when he was playing sweeps and reverse sweeps. Like I said earlier, with which mindset did you prepare? Was your preparation from the fear angle or about how you would attack or dominate?"

Dasgupta acknowledged that Sachin Tendulkar had also used Laxman Sivaramakrishnan's services while preparing for Shane Warne. However, he added that it was from an attacking mindset as the plan was to develop the slog sweep from the rough against the leg-spinners.