England vs India 2018: 4 changes which are vital to change India's fortune in the 3rd Test 

#2 Ashwin opens the innings with Rahul

Ashwin has been India's second best batsmen in the series

After Kohli, Ashwin appeared to be the only batsman who could tackle the copious swing in the first two Tests. He always puts a price tag on his wicket.

Ashwin is no less than a front-line batsman whenever he comes in to bat. The way in which he sets the scoreboard ticking is commendable. This has been a key entity for the Indians in this series.

In these conditions one can sweat it out trying to defend and leave balls. But to what end? There is that one unplayable delivery always around the corner. So, by the time the batsmen get out, they do not have a whole lot of runs against their names.

If Ashwin bats as an opener, he will score runs and provide solidity at the top. He has the game to be successful as an opener in Tests.

Ultimately, it is the number of runs scored by the batsmen which counts. This is what Ashwin is good at. He doesn’t mind making a mockery of the loose balls and he is paid rich dividends.