The premier Indian spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin missed the second Test between India and Australia at Perth, as he faced some strain in the due to a left abdominal strain. India decided to go in with four frontline seamers – only for the third time in their Test history – and had the option of spin from part-timers Hanuma Vihari and Murali Vijay. The pacers toiled hard as Australia finished their first innings for 326.

Vihari looked to be troubling the Australian batsmen with his spin and bounce on a pitch that was clearly going to offer something for the spinners despite the green top in Perth. Former Australia batsman Michael Hussey said that India will surely feel the loss of Ashwin, which may prove to be a big blow for India.

Ashwin had a decent outing in the previous Test in Adelaide, which India won by 31 runs, taking six wickets.

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Talking about the spinner, Hussey, who played 79 Tests for Australia said, “It’ll definitely throw the team balance out quite a lot I would have thought. You could tell quite clearly in Adelaide they liked to use the spinner – much like Australia really – to bowl a lot of overs from one end and then rotate the faster men from the other end.”

Sunil Gavaskar mourned about R Ashwin’s side strain and said the off-spinner would have been an easy choice if he were fit.

The batting legend said, “He [Ashwin] definitely would have because I don’t think they would have included an extra bowler and gone in with a five-bowler attack. They would have included Hanuma Vihari as Rohit wasn’t fit but Ashwin definitely would have played.”

While talking on Sony Pictures Network, Gavaskar said that the Indian team would’ve had a little more variety in the attack, he felt that even Jadeja could’ve been a better option. He also felt that playing four new ball bowlers leave a team a little lopsided.