India wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik has backed the veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on the recent claim of his performances in the SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia) countries. He shared that Ashwin is a keen student of the game who wants to improve each day as well.

Dinesh Karthik, while speaking to Sports Today, said that there are many good things to talk about Ashwin and the recent claim of Sanjay Manjrekar was not necessary too. He said after former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar stated that Ashwin doesn’t have a 5-wicket haul in SENA countries and that’s why he doesn’t consider him a great bowler.

“When it comes to Ashwin, a lot of things have been said about his performances in SENA continues. I think it’s a tad bit unfair. Even if you see the way he has bowled in Australia, the pressure he has been able to create and his ability to get good batsmen out.” Karthik said.

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He continued: “You have to understand the quality of pace bowlers we have. When we go abroad, they tend to pick up a lot of wickets. A spinner’s role, a lot of times, especially when the pitch doesn’t do much is to not give too many runs and Ashwin does it brilliantly well. When it comes to playing in India, we have seen the wickets he picks, he is an absolute legend in India and he has put up so many performances and won more Man of the Series Awards for India than anybody else in such a short time.”

However, Dinesh Karthik also urged everyone to focus on the things Ashwin did for India. He said that despite failing to take a fifer, he has provided a breakthrough in overseas tours. Moreover, he has taken wickets on a regular basis while bowling long spells and kept the opposition under pressure too.

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“As an opposition, you look at Ashwin and always think he is a guy whom we need to play carefully. He is not a random bloke who just turns up, he will have a plan, he knows what he is doing and gives you a lot with the bat at No. 8. He is probably one of the better No. 8s going around. For me, he is a fighter, a very skilled cricketer and a student of the game who wants to keep improving. He will know what this Indian team requires from him when they travel abroad and I think he will try and fulfil that role to his best,” Dinesh Karthik concluded.