Ashwin's big test

As India take on West Indies in the first Test, Harbhajan Singh is conspicuous by his absence. Instead, it is R Ashwin who is India’s offspinner of choice. After geting his chance in the one-dayers, Ashwin now has the opportunity to prove he can cut it at Test level too. In the Indian Express, Karthik Krishnaswamy attempts to answer two questions: How Ashwin will bowl and what he will bowl.

With the taller, slower Ashwin, mystery takes a back seat to his more obvious physical gifts. Delivered by long fingers from a top of a high-arm, open-chested action, his off breaks turn a decent distance on surfaces with any amount of assistance, and the overspin he puts on the ball gets him dip and bounce.