Ashwin wants Ruturaj to get longer run in ODIs even after Iyer's return to team

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], December 4 (ANI): Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin expressed that opener Ruturaj Gaikwad should get an extended rope in the ODI side following his maiden ton against South Africa at Raipur on Thursday.

After seven innings, out of which only one was a fifty-plus score, a 71 against Australia, Ruturaj made the most of the opportunity he earned on the back of some heavy domestic cricket, India A team grind at Raipur, scoring a chanceless 105 in 83 balls with 12 fours and two sixes. His shot selection, brilliant judgement and eye while running between the wickets and chemistry with batting partner Virat Kohli stood out throughout the innings.

For Ruturaj, this opportunity could only come because skipper Shubman Gill, the opener and middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer were out due to injuries. Having won the 'Player of the Series' award for India A against South Africa A with 210 runs in three matches with a century and a fifty each and made plenty of runs in his recent red-ball outings, the classy right-hander grabbed the opportunity with both hands at Raipur after a slip at Ranchi, where he could score just eight runs.

Speaking on his Youtube channel, 'Ash ki Baat', Ashwin said, "There are some players where the outside noise immediately gets to their neck. Some get the noise that they are very talented and should be given a long rope. But I do not know why, how and where that noise comes from. For Ruturaj, when he performed well, he never got the long run. Sometimes he has also been injured, which is unfortunate."

"But you do not have to look at him with such impatience. Ruturaj has all the possibilities to bat at number four. He can play seamers well. The only way to get him out if the ball swings initially. That will get eliminated if he bats at number four. Spin, no one can play better than him. He is also very quick on his feet and runs very well between the wickets. He has every shot in the book. Beyond this, a player does not need to prove anything else to bat at No. 4."

"Even if Shreyas Iyer comes back, you can still accommodate Ruturaj. Would you want to push Ruturaj up the order, or even Virat can do that, batting up the order. He has done it in T20s. A player with such a pedigree like Ruturaj must be given a long run," he concluded.

Ashwin also seemed to have enjoyed the 195-run partnership between Virat and Ruturaj, a new all-time record for any wicket in India-South Africa ODIs, noting how they complemented each other well.

"Both batted brilliantly, what complementary batting. But it was totally trumped by South Africa. Though their knocks went in vain, their combination got set superbly. Maharaj has been a linchpin for South Africa, but once Ruturaj took him down, he had no answers. Virat Kohli's solidity and Ruturaj Gaikwad's play against spin should be spoken about. Without Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj has shown he can play in double gear," said Ashwin.

India will play the series decider at Visakhapatnam on Saturday, with the Proteas having chased down 359 at Raipur on Wednesday courtesy of a classy Aiden Markram century. Virat has a phenomenal record at Visakhapatnam, having made 587 runs in seven innings at an average of 97.83 and a strike rate of above 100, with three centuries and two fifties and a best score of 157*. (ANI)

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