Should Ravichandran Ashwin bat at No. 6 for India?

Ravichandran Ashwin during his innings of 83 against England in a 2014 Test match

“There is that greedy batsman inside me who says that one day I should bat at No. 4 for India.”

Millions of Indian cricket fans would be more than happy if R Ashwin lets that greedy batsman out. We have seen glimpses of that batsman. He averages 36 in Test cricket and has scored two centuries and four half centuries, including an unbeaten 91.

His away average of 28.71 is higher than Rohit Sharma’s and Wriddhiman Saha’s. It is only marginally less than Cheteshwar Pujara’s. Subtract Shikhar Dhawan’s fill-your-boots century against Bangladesh and his away average is only .29 higher than Ashwin’s. That means that he is as good as, if not better than, four of India’s current top seven – at least statistically.

Not bad for an off-spinner who bats number 8. Not bad at all.

But cricket, like Ashwin’s batting, is about more than the numbers. He looks a top class batsman. He never seems rushed or hurried while batting. There is a joke about his running between the wickets in there somewhere but I am going to ignore it.

A number 9 whose technique is better than that of many batsmen

In the interests of full disclosure, it is pertinent to mention now that this article will biasedly, shamelessly extol Ashwin’s worth as a batsman. We already have a world class spinner in him. But taking a page out of his book, I am going to be greedy and say that that is not enough. We should have a world class all-rounder in him.

Anybody who has seen Ashwin bat knows that he has the ability. But moving up from the lower order to occupy a position in the top 6 takes more than ability. Application is important too. You have to think like a batsman. You must be willing to construct an innings.

That is why Stuart Broad is batting at number 9 for England when he should have matured into a world class all-rounder by now.

Happily, Ashwin does not bat like it is the closing stage of a T20 game when he first comes to the crease. He is willing to play himself in. He is willing to take measured, calculated risks. He plays each ball on its merit. In short, he is a batsman.

He is adept on the front as well as the back foot. He can handle both pace and spin. His back foot punch and cover drive in particular are things of beauty. If someone who knew and understood the game but had not been following Indian cricket for some time were to see him bat, they might mistake his partner for the tail-ender – such is the crispness and correctness of his play.

In short, Ashwin is a very good batsman.

The solution to all of India’s problems

Ashwin batting at number 6 would solve many problems. Scratch that; playing five bowlers is a positive move, so let’s put a positive spin on this. Ashwin batting at number 6 would create several possibilities.

Ashwin batting at 6 would make it possible for India to play five bowlers without compromising a traditional strength, batting. Four pacers overseas, three spinners at home; the possibilities are endless. It would allow the Indian team to exploit conditions with their bowling attack; the strike bowlers could operate in short, sharp bursts instead of being forced to bowl long spells in a holding role.

The balance of the attack would not be affected should Virat Kohli choose to play an extra spinner or pacer either.

Ashwin batting at 6 would allow Saha, the best technical glovesman in the country, to settle in at number 7 instead of burdening him with the added responsibility of batting at number 6. Ashwin is good enough technically to see off the second new ball; this is a man who opened in his early days as a cricketer.

Lastly, it would force the other batsmen in the team to raise their game. The seven batsmen in the squad would essentially be fighting for five batting spots. This would also allow the team the flexibility of rotating out an out-of-form batsman.

Ashwin looks like a batsman, walks like a batsman, thinks like a batsman and bats like a batsman. He is an all-rounder stuck in the role of a lower order batsman. Instead of pesky late order runs that have either come too late to make a difference or are merely piling on the misery, he could make vital, game shaping and game-changing runs.

“I want to get better and aspire to be a No. 4 batsman.”

Number 6 will do for now.

Let him out. India has a run of Tests in the subcontinent right now; let him get used to his role in easier conditions.

Let him out. India needs an all-rounder.

Let him out. It’s not as if the other “batsmen” have done much better.

Let him out.