In cricket, players of similar qualities are often compared. Similarly, veteran Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has often been compared to former Indian spinner, Harbhajan Singh as now both have taken 400 wickets in Tests. And India great Gautam Gambhir shared his opinion on the debate picking the more difficult off-spinner to face for a batter.

During a chat on Star Sports after India’s innings and 222-run win against Sri Lanka in Mohali, where Ashwin had surpassed the tally of legendary Indian cricketer, Kapil Dev to enter the top-10 wicket-takers list in Tests, Gambhir opined that as a batter he always felt that Ashwin would have been the more difficult bowler to face.

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Praising the accuracy of Ashwin and his ability to vary the pace in deciding the better off-spinner although he admitted that Harbhajan was more beautiful to watch when bowling given his ability to dish out the doosra and get the ball to dip.

Comparing the spinner, Gautam Gambhir said, “As a batter, I would hate to face Ravichandran Ashwin, but I would love to watch Harbhajan Singh. This means, that as a left-hander, I would always feel that Ashwin could dismiss me, but as an analyst, then Harbhajan…he had that bounce, that doosra and could dip the ball.”

He further added, And Ashwin, for a left-hander or any other batter, he is much more difficult to face because he is far more accurate and difficult because of his speed variations. Harbhajan Singh was more beautiful to watch.”

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Earlier in November, during the home Test series against New Zealand, R Ashwin had surpassed Harbhajan to become India’s third-highest wicket-taker. Three months later, he pipped Kapil’s tally of 434 wickets to take the second spot, now he is only behind Anil Kumble’s tally of 619 wickets. Overall, R Ashwin stands ninth in the all-time list, fourth among spinners, and second among off-spinners.