"No. 1 Match-Winner For India": Ex-Selector's Massive Take On Ravichandran Ashwin

Former Indian cricket team wicket-keeper and selector Saba Karim believes that veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been arguably the top match-winner for India when it comes to Test cricket. Ashwin took 61 wickets in just 13 matches in the 2021-23 cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC) and Karim said in a recent interaction that his numbers over the years have been quite impressive and his impact has put him ahead of legendary bowlers like Anil Kumble. "Let's not have any whatabouts about it. He is arguably the No. 1 match-winner for India," Saba Karim told JioCinema.

"I hope that in this World Test Championship cycle, he gets to play in the SENA countries even when India goes in with a solitary spinner. I think that's the biggest call that the Indian team management has to take," he added.

India start the 2023-25 cycle with the Test series against West Indies and Karim said that in order to reach the final of the competition, the Indian cricket team will once again need Ashwin to be in “prime form”.

"There is a constant evolvement of R Ashwin, we have seen that in the past few years. For him to understand the shifting paradigm of international cricket and understand how to become a better bowler and how to get rid of good batters of spin bowling, we have seen that over the past few years.”

"For India to remain in contention to qualify once again for the World Test Championship final, you need someone like R Ashwin to be in prime form," he concluded.