ENG vs IND: "There has been a lack of game awareness"- Ravichandran Ashwin slams Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir

Ravichandran Ashwin criticised Shubman Gill for not utilising spinners on day 4 of The Oval test.

Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has slammed Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir for their lack of game awareness in the ongoing test series between England and India. Ashwin also criticised skipper for not utilising spinners effectively in the ongoing fifth test at The Oval, London.

After setting a target of 374 runs for England in The Oval test, India were considered favourites to win the clash. However, Harry Brook and Joe Root demolished Indian bowlers in the second innings to drift England closer to victory.

Brook (111) and Root (105) slammed centuries in the second innings and set up a spectacular 195-run partnership for the fourth wicket, taking the scoreboard from 106/3 to 301/4. However, both of them lost their wickets in the end with England still needing 35 more runs for victory.

There has been a lack of game awareness: Ravichandran Ashwin

While speaking on his YouTube channel “Ash ki Baat,” Ashwin pointed out Gill and Gambhir’s lack of game awareness in the series. Ashwin feels that Gill has failed to introduce spinners at the right moment during the series.

“Coming back to the topic of spinners not being used, I have felt in this series that there has been a lack of game awareness and, in many ways, our tactical acumen – both on and off the field. This is the main reason why England are ahead in this series and India are behind. We haven’t been the sharpest,” he said.

“I feel Shubman Gill will get much better as a captain. He will learn. But sometimes, if you feel that you can play spin really well, you might not bring spinners into the attack. And when you miss the right moment to introduce spinners in these conditions, they become a defensive option,” he added.

Ashwin also feels that Gill should’ve brought spinner into the attack at the end on day four and utilised Washington Sundar against Brook and Root.

“When Harry Brook started taking it on, after 20 runs, you could have brought on the spinner to choke the run flow. From the other end, a pacer could have bowled. With all this in mind, Washington Sundar could have been introduced earlier into the attack,” Ashwin said.

“Making these mistakes creates a huge gap. We don’t know whether the message is going from outside to the middle. We don’t know what’s being discussed in the dressing room. But in today’s day and age, these mistakes can definitely be avoided,” he added.

Notably, spinner Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja have bowled only four overs each in the second innings of The Oval test. In the first innings, Jadeja bowled two overs, while Sundar was not handed a single over.

Meanwhile, England reached 339/6 at the stumps of day four and India need four more wickets to win the encounter. Earlier, India piled up 224/10 in the first innings with a half-century by Karun Nair.

Later, England gained a 23-run lead by posting 247/10 in the first innings. In the second innings, India reached 396/10 on the board with Yashasvi Jaiswal’s century, setting a 374-run target for the hosts.

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