Cricket: Maninder Singh wants Ashwin and Jadeja to play together in WTC finals

Virat and Co. will take on Kane Williamson's New Zealand in the much-awaited World Test Championship finals that will take place on June 18 at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. The conditions in England are likely to favour the seamers, however, former Indian cricketer Maninder Singh feels that Virat Kohli and team management must use Ashwin and Jadeja to their advantage and test kiwi batsmen with spin.

“If I was in the team management, I would play both Ashwin and Jadeja. They can be a huge factor,” Maninder told Hindustan Times in an interview.

“There is going to be wear and tear anywhere as the Test match progresses. I keep talking to my friends there (in England) and they say it has become hot, these summer temperatures will soar. So if it is going to be the way it is then moisture won’t be that be effective. The pitch will dry out and spinners will start getting purchase and both are spinners are of good quality,” he added.

The spin duo has featured only once together in an overseas Test for Team India, which was played in 2014.

Ravindra Jadeja has proved his worth with not only the bowl but also with the bat. “Jadeja’s recent form with the bat has been exceptional. He has worked on his batting a lot. He gives you an extra option of having another bowler. The confidence of scoring runs has rubbed off on his bowling.”

Ashwin too has been prolific in with the bowl. The spinner has 14 scalps in six Test matches played in England.

“Ashwin is a class act. Ashwin has improved a lot and he can now get you wickets on any track, which was not the case when he first started touring overseas. He never used to give you the feeling that he was going for wickets. He didn’t have the belief. But now, with the experience he is a different bowler,” he said.

“We’ve seen how Ashwin bowls on Indian pitches. He has got to have that approach. When he bowls his aim should always be to get wickets. I have never had any doubt in my mind that he will give you wickets even on foreign soils. It depends on the team management. On Kohli and Shastri... How they keep motivating him. They've got to tell him 'you are going to get wickets for us.' Ravi Shastri has been brilliant in managing the players so far. He’ll have to go the extra mile if they want to win this WTC title.

“At this level cricketers hardly need advice. It’s that slight push. That believe that you are going to wickets even on foreign soil has to be there,” he signed off.