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Indian great 'not a fan' of Ashwin’s leggies

Test spinner’s impressive ability to bowl both finger and wrist spin dividing opinions in India

Former India captain Kris Srikkanth has questioned Ravichandran Ashwin's decision to alternate between off-spin and leg-spin during games as Indian media reports suggest the tweaker's radical move could be putting his Test spot in jeopardy.

Ashwin, whose off-spin has seen him become one of the most prolific Test wicket-takers in the world, has recently started to bowl leg-spin as well in domestic matches, with mixed results.

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IPL teammate Aaron Finch recently backed the 31-year-old to extend the tactic to Test cricket, but Srikkanth said this week he's "not a big fan" of the tactic.

"With the variations up his sleeve as an off-spinner and the ability to take the ball away from the right-hander, I feel Ashwin has enough to trouble the best in business," said Srikkanth, the former Test and ODI skipper who also served as a national selector.

"Given his track record, I don’t think Ashwin needs to prove anything more."

It's yet to be seen if Ashwin will be bold enough to attempt the tactic at international level in what looms as a crucial year for the world's No.1 Test team, with tours of England and Australia on the agenda in 2018.

Ashwin's Test record abroad is the only blot on his otherwise imposing Test record; he's taken 263 wickets at 22.75 in Asia, but just 48 wickets at 40 outside the subcontinent.

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The emergence of wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal in limited-overs cricket has also put selection pressure on Ashwin and his long-time spin partner Ravindra Jadeja.

And a report in Saturday's Times of India, which quoted an unnamed source close to the Indian team, said Ashwin's decision to bowl leg-spin is damaging his chances of continued Test selection.

"We feel very sad and concerned about it," the source was quoted as saying. "He tries too many things … it’s difficult to understand why he’s trying this tactic.

"If he continues like this, he’ll find himself out of the team sooner than later. If his performance doesn’t improve, things look tough for him.

"The England series is very crucial for him in terms of his future in Test cricket.

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"We must remember that Ashwin has taken more than 300 Test wickets, but the time has come to blood Kuldeep and Chahal in Tests."

Speaking to cricket.com.au last week, Finch backed his new Kings XI Punjab teammate to bowl leg-spin at the highest level.

"The way he's landing them, the confidence he's delivering the ball with and the shape that it's coming out of his hand, there's no reason why he wouldn't give it a go," Finch told cricket.com.au.

"It's hard to say – for a guy who's got that many Test wickets, why would you change what you're so good at? But give everything a go, I guess – he's landing them here in such a high-pressure situation against very good players of spin. 

"I think it will be something you see in time in Test cricket."