Former Indian player Parthiv Patel has applauded Ravichandran Ashwin for initiating Team India’s fight back in the second Test against New Zealand in Pune. He also added that the veteran off-spinner gave India their first three breakthroughs when the pitch didn’t have too much to give to the bowlers.

During a discussion on Colors Cineplex, Patel said, “Whenever India has to make a comeback, you look towards a senior player to show you the path. Here also, when the Test match started and when you had to make a comeback, your most senior player showed the way. He (Ashwin) picked up the first three wickets and then the young player Washington Sundar took seven wickets When he came to bowl at the start, there wasn’t that much wear and tear on the pitch. There wasn’t that much bounce and it wasn’t turning that much. He is picking up his wickets relying on his skills.”

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In the same discussion, Parthiv Patel shared that R Ashwin was willing to play the second fiddle to Washington Sundar when the youngster was running through the New Zealand batting lineup as well.

“He knows the lengths on which he would get wickets. When some other bowler attacks, even if he is a young spinner, as Washington Sundar was doing, he takes a back seat. He was bowling tightly. He has the quality and that is why you are seeing him in that big list. We have seen the list in which his name comes – Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, Anil Kumble, Ravichandran Ashwin and Nathan Lyon. The two legendary spinners of this era, R Ashwin and Nathan Lyon, both are close to each other. They will keep moving up and down,” Parthiv Patel concluded.