Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes pacer Gurnoor Brar will be picked ahead of Saransh Jain for the final spot in India’s bowling attack for the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle, starting August 15. Having picked Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar and Mohammed Siraj, Ashwin backed Brar over Saransh based on the results of India’s practice game against Sri Lanka Cricket XI as well. While Brar picked up three wickets across the two innings, Saransh went wicketless in both innings despite bowling 15 overs.

Talking about India’s bowling attack against Sri Lanka, Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, “I feel India will play Gurnoor Brar in the 11. In the practice games, they kept sending him to bat and asked him to strike some blows. Because he can bat, he can be India’s No.8 or 9. So Brar will be the second seamer, I feel. I fear that because Saransh Jain didn’t have a great practice game, he will be judged quickly and won’t be in contention to play.”

Ravichandran Ashwin also believes the final spot in India’s bowling attack could be a tough call between Gurnoor Brar and Saransh Jain because of Prasidh Krishna’s lack of batting ability. While he has played seven Tests for India, Brar and Saransh are yet to make their Test debuts.

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“The final spot between these two over Prasidh Krishna is because batting in the lower order has been given importance over the last two years. But the way Saransh Jain was used in the practice game makes me feel that there’s not really a chance for him to play in the 11 in the series,” said Ashwin.

“We have always seen this management playing four spinners if there is help off the surface. But according to me, even on a turner, there is no need for four spinners. But Indian spinners bat a bit also, so they prefer playing four. I think you can play only one between Saransh and Kuldeep. You have to give Kuldeep a chance. He deserves the chance to succeed or fail. Give him both games and then decide. He has the skill and ability. He will be feeling pressure, as he has not played and needs confidence, so the captain and management has to rally around him,” he again said.

“In Test cricket, picking 20 wickets is a priority. Adding 10-20 extra runs is second priority. If you need more runs, demand that the bowlers hold up. We used to do this with Vikram Rathour, that if a new batter came to bat in any condition and was a lower-order batter, he would be given a target that, in the first 10-20 balls, the set batter would play more. So it gives them time to feel themselves in. Set small templates and build in such a way that they also become able with the bat,” he concluded.