IND vs AUS 2023: Ashwin will be the main threat in the series – Marnus Labuschagne

Australia’s talisman batter Marnus Labuschagne reckons Ravichandran Ashwin will be the main threat for the visitors in the upcoming Test series against India. Ashwin has a tremendous record in the Indian conditions and he is expected to breathe down the neck of the Australian batters.

Labuschagne added that Ashwin has a plethora of variations under his repertoire and it makes him a tough customer to face. Ashwin has scalped 89 wickets at a decent average of 31.48 in the 18 Tests he has played against Australia. He has snared 50 wickets at an impressive average of 23.16 in the eight Tests he has played against the Aussies in home conditions.

In an interview with Cricbuzz, Marnus Labuschagne said, “The threat here will be R Ashwin. Not only does he have a great stock ball, he has great variations, whereas Mendis had a good stock ball, but he didn’t probably have the changes like Ashwin. Nor did he have the use of the crease, the angle of the wrist, the seam angles, and stuff like that.”

Labuschangne continued: “It probably comes more into your mind here because you know the bowlers. So you know Axar (Patel), (Ravindra) Jadeja and Ashwin, they are the three, and maybe Kuldeep (Yadav) will be the add-on.”

The World no.1 Test batter added that Ashwin will keep mixing his variations to get the better of the opposition’s batters.

“I think that’s what I like about Ashwin. I think his thoughts about the game, his thinking, the way he manufactures overs, the way he tries to get you out in a certain area.”

“But also the way he might not go to that area early. So, he might be attacking you on the inside edge for a while and then he’ll bowl that one which he undercuts and slides away and get you caught first slip. He’ll keep mixing it up.”

The right-hander, who is going to hold the key for Australia, concluded by saying that Ashwin is willing to bowl ugly to get his wickets and it’s more of a chess game with him.

“With Ashwin, it’s more a chess game. He’s willing to bowl ugly, which very few other spin bowlers like to do. He’s willing to bowl ugly to be effective. You saw that in Australia where he just bowled as we could call it in Australia, ‘negative’ lines but it’s great cricket. You are making the batters not be able to score. You’re tying them down, tying them down.”

Both Ashwin and Labuschagne will hold the key for their respective teams in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series.