What's eating R Ashwin?

R Ashwin finished 2015 as the No. 1 ranked Test bowler and the top-ranked Test allrounder. His carrom ball, among other variations, befuddled the best. Many considered him the best spinner in the world and his numbers backed their claim. In February 2016, his 4 for 8 against Sri Lanka became the best bowling figures for India in T20s. Ashwin was indispensable - to state and country.

Why then has Ashwin taken just 11 wickets in 19 games since? He has bowled 59 overs in his last 19 T20s and has completed his four-over quota on just nine occasions. Should one of the world's best spinners have been used more? A common denominator in Ashwin's previous 19 games has been MS Dhoni, his captain for India and Rising Pune Supergiants.

A reluctance to use an offspinner with two right-handers at the crease seems the most plausible reason. Ashwin was not brought on till the 17th over in Supergiants' seven-wicket loss to Royal Challengers. Left-handed Travis Head came out to bat in the 16th. He bowled the solitary over and conceded seven - the second time this season. Before this, with 89 required off seven overs, the game had been blown open in overs 14 and 15, where 39 runs were plundered off Thisara Perera and Rajat Bhatia.

"I'm guessing it's because two right-handers mostly in the whole time, spinning in. He got the opportunity with the left-hander in, but they didn't have too many left-handers. Limited opportunity for him," legspinner Adam Zampa said of Ashwin's under-utilisation after Supergiants' loss to Royal Challengers.

Against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Ashwin returned figures of 1 for 14 from four overs - his most economical returns since February. He was introduced in the 8th over with Sunrisers tottering at 29 for 3 - with Shikhar Dhawan and Naman Ojha at the crease - and bowled in a spell through the middle.

A right-handed batting order is not atypical to Royal Challengers. Most teams - domestic and international - are dominated by right handers.

However, Dhoni has used Ashwin even in the end-overs if a left-handed batsman is at the crease. Shouldn't one of the world's best bowlers, equipped with variations to straighten or take a ball away from a right hander, bowl without condition? Ashwin has been used extensively in T20 powerplays, but has bowled one over in that period this season.

The boundary-hitting ability of batsmen has increased multi-fold over the past few years. Yet, there is a precedent of teams confronting an opposition's best bowler with caution, irrespective of the type. Dhoni has primarily used M Ashwin and Bhatia through the middle period of a T20 innings. Would using India's leading bowler during that stage, if not crunch moments, make more sense than not bowling him at all? In a team plagued by injuries and lacking potent end-overs specialists with the ball, R Ashwin has not been utilised to the extent that he could have.

"It's a subject, like revealing strategy. Ashwin is a mature bowler. He can bowl at any point of time," Dhoni had said at a promotional event earlier this year. Why not, then, when Supergiants are defending 191 against one of the best batting line-ups in the tournament at a favourable chasing ground?

Against Royal Challengers, Ashwin came out to bat at No. 8 and struck a five-ball 10 to help Supergiants to 191, but hasn't batted at a position higher this season. If Ashwin, bereft of confidence, is continued to be used sparingly and to take the ball away from left-handers' hitting arc, he may not have much to do this season.