'Time Has Come For Ashwin To...': Sanjay Manjrekar Comments On Indian Spinner Again

Ashwin has received criticism for not performing as per his standards in non-subcontinent conditions, especially in England and Australia. Manjrekar has said that "he (Ashwin) hasn't shown a long impactful spell"

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Southampton: As India vs New Zealand, World Test Championship Final heads towards a possible draw, we have fresh statements from a cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar. Sanjay Manjrekar has previously denied calling Ravichandran Ashwin "the greatest of all-time" spinner from India. The former cricketer has yet again given a statement regarding Ashwin. 

After India struggled for 34 overs to pick a single wicket at the WTC Final, Ashwin stepped up and gave India its first breakthrough. Ashwin has received criticism for not performing as per his standards in non-subcontinent conditions, especially in England and Australia. Manjrekar has said that "the time has come for Ashwin" to prove his critics wrong. 

"He is surely a high-class bowler but I will again tell everyone that he's a brilliant match-winner on turning pitches in India. But this is his third tour to England - he's been to Australia three times and twice to South Africa - and here he hasn't shown a long impactful spell yet to win the game for India. The time has come for Ashwin to do just that," Sanjay Manjrekar told ESPNCricinfo. 

Ashwin's Record In England, Australia & South Africa

Ravichandran Ashwin's is closing in on Harbhajan Singh's tally of 417 Test wickets and is expected to surpass him soon. Despite that, his performance outside the sub-continent has been somewhat ordinary. Ashwin has a brilliant overall Test average of 24, which becomes even better at 21 if considered the matches in India. But the average goes up drastically with 42, 32 and 46 in Australia, England and South Africa. 

Manjrekar had previously said, "One basic problem I have with Ashwin is that when you look at SENA countries, Ashwin doesn't have a single five-wicket haul there. And the other thing when you talk about him running through sides on Indian pitches that are suited to his kind of bowling is that in the last four years, Jadeja has matched him with wicket-taking abilities."

Nonetheless, the Indian fans would be expecting Ashwin to break this jink and perform well so that India can grab that World Test Championship Trophy.