04-08-2025
Ind vs Eng 5th Test: Ashwin slams Shubman Gill, Gautam Gambhir for lack of game awareness & tactical acumen
Agencies Former India spinner R Ashwin
Former India spinner R Ashwin slammed the duo of captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir for "lack of game awareness" in India's series against England. Ashwin felt that the team management had not used spinners effectively in the entire series, adding that they lacked tactical acumen. "Coming back to the topic of spinners not being used, I have felt in this series that there has been a lack of game awareness and, in many ways, our tactical acumen — both on and off the field. This is the main reason why England are ahead in this series and India are behind. We haven't been the sharpest,' Ashwin said on his YouTube channel Ash Ki he said that Gill will become better as captain, adding that not bringing spinners at the right moment in English conditions could make them a defensive option. 'I feel Shubman Gill will get much better as a captain. He will learn. But sometimes, if you feel that you can play spin really well, you might not bring spinners into the attack. And when you miss the right moment to introduce spinners in these conditions, they become a defensive option,' he added.
Bad light and subsequent rain forced early stumps Day 4 of the final Test at The Oval on Sunday. The match on Day 5 is set of a thrilling finish with England need just 35 more runs to win, while India require four wickets for a miraculous looked all set to complete the chase of 374 on Day 4, thanks to Joe Root hitting his 39th Test century. However, it was Harry Brook who struck a stunning 111 off 98 balls, his tenth century in the longer format and made the most of a crucial reprieve on 19. The duo from Yorkshire added 195 runs for the fourth wicket, giving England a chance to complete their second-highest run chase of all time, and the highest ever at The Oval.'When Harry Brook started taking it on, after 20 runs, you could have brought on the spinner to choke the run flow. From the other end, a pacer could have bowled. With all this in mind, Washington Sundar could have been introduced earlier into the attack,' Ashwin said.
'Making these mistakes creates a huge gap. We don't know whether the message is going from outside to the middle. We don't know what's being discussed in the dressing room. But in today's day and age, these mistakes can definitely be avoided,' he added.
