South Africa tour of India: I won’t be surprised if R Ashwin doesn’t play Test series, says Steve Harmison

Former England pacer Steve Harmison isn’t sure if Ravichandran Ashwin will be picked in India’s playing XI for the upcoming Test in South Africa, despite his man-of-the-series performance in the recent home series against New Zealand, which the hosts won on Monday. had won.

Ashwin took 14 wickets in the two Tests and finished as the second most successful bowler in the series after teammate Axar Patel, who scored 17 runs at the top of the charts.

But Harmison still feels that the veteran off-spinner may be overlooked during team selection in South Africa and the Indian team management may stick with the in-form Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane.

Harmison cited how Ashwin was not picked in the XI during Tests in England this year despite Ashwin’s record-breaking numbers in red-ball cricket. Ashwin did not play a single Test on the England tour as India picked Ravindra Jadeja as the lone spinner along with four fast bowlers.

“The problem I find predicting this Indian side is the logic and then Kohli’s idea of ​​what the team should be.

Harmison said on his YouTube channel, “Who on earth would have thought that Ashwin would have missed so much cricket against England? You can never do what Virat wants or that is his thinking process.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_E3DusDIFO

“You would think 2 youngsters from Iyer and Agarwal going to South Africa to score 100 in this series, I wouldn’t be surprised if Rahane and Pujara play and I wouldn’t be surprised if Ashwin doesn’t. Play.”

Harmison suggested India play their tried-and-tested spin combination of Jadeja and Ashwin in South Africa, apart from three fast bowlers in the form of Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah.

“Jadeja is important to this team and Pant is at No. 6 and 7. Even though Axar can bat and Ashwin can too. But Jadeja bats well at 7 and I still think for another spinner The skill level for Ashwin is as good as any seam bowler would bowl on a wicket suited to any seam.

“But this guy is so skilled, so clever and can create so much pressure that even your fourth seamer can’t be as dangerous as R Ashwin. And then you pick your three fast bowlers, who for me would be Shami, Bumrah and Siraj. ” Harmison said.