IND vs ENG: Batsman Ravichandran Ashwin's Experience Pays Off As He 'Ambushes' England

It was a coincidence that former India leg-spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, who as a state selector had once dropped R Ashwin from a Tamil Nadu junior team for poor batting performance, interviewed th

Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari saw off 42.4 overs, adding an unbeaten 62. On Monday, Ashwin ambushed England to take the game away. India was struggling at 106 for six when he walked in to join skipper Virat Kohli. Although India was 301 ahead, England still had hopes of restricting India to a target that was achievable.

But then the 34-year-old launched into England spinners immediately on arrival at the crease. He swept the second ball and reverse-swept the fifth ball he faced (from Moeen Ali) for fours. He raced to 50 off 64 balls.

WV Raman, former India batsman and long-time coach of Tamil Nadu, which R Ashwin represents in domestic cricket, said the India off-spinners tactics caught England off-guard.

"He got to 40 in no time. It was a sort of an ambush. Since there has been a lot of talk about the type of this pitch, they (England) wouldn't have expected somebody coming so low down the order to play shots right from the word go."

"Once he got to 40-50, he realized that the whole innings can't have the same kind of tempo. Then he got a little circumspect. He again realized he has to get to the bowlers," said Raman, who has witnessed Ashwin's development over the years.

"It was a very well executed innings. He has shown how handy his ability to bat is," added Raman. The former India left-hander puts down the ability to change batting style to Ashwin's experience. "With experience, you learn to evaluate risk and reward."

Ashwin had on Monday said that he was initially a batsman who would try and imitate Harbhajan Singh's bowling action. In fact, the off-spinner had played for India under-17 as a pure batsman. But then after failing to get enough runs, he was dropped even from one of Tamil Nadu's age-group teams by a state selection panel of which Sivaramakrishnan was a member.

"It was at that time I told Ashwin that I will make you a bowler and told him to focus on becoming a bowler," said Subramaniam who was his personal coach till 2014. The thought behind it was that batting can be developed anytime later once you make your mark as a bowler, explains Subramaniam.

"I told him your bowling is better than your batting, so focus on it," added Subramaniam. Ashwin has become one of the world's best bowlers and has now gradually sneaked back into the role of all-rounders.

As Raman says, "He knows he can bat - the idea is there. He knows he has done this before. To come and execute, that is impressive."