South Africa vs India 2018: From Pujara's runouts to Parthiv's keeping, things that went wrong for India in the second Test

#5 Ashwin couldn’t make an impact in the second innings

After picking up the second best figures (4-113) for a spinner in the first innings of a Test at Centurion, lots was expected out of R Ashwin in the second innings. Conceding a lead of 28, Virat Kohli decided to open the bowling with the off-spinner on a wicket that had quite a few rough patches created by fast bowlers from both sides.

After bowling almost 30 overs, Ashwin got only one wicket and that too of number 11 Ngidi who smashed it straight to long on.

Even though he had the left-handed Elgar dancing to his tunes at the start of the innings, Ashwin struggled to create any impact against the right-handers. His line of attack on middle and leg with fielders primarily on the leg side might have been a touch negative on that wicket. Instead, he could have used the rough outside the right-handers off stump a lot more to get them playing through covers against the turn.

Being the primary and only spinner in the side, Kohli would have expected a lot more from Ashwin especially in conditions very familiar to those in India.