Chennai, Feb 22:
India’s man of the moment Ravichandran Ashwin feels that Michael Clarke’s sureshot dismissal could have reduced Australia’s score by atleast 70 runs but they need to pack off the visitors within another 30 runs at the start of the second day.
“I think we need to pack them off within another 20-30 runs but we could have reduced their score by 60-70 runs if he’d (Michael Clarke) been given out. But it does happen, it’s part of the game,” Ashwin told mediapersons about Australian captain being given not out on 39 when TV replays showed that it was a bat-pad catch to forward short-leg fielder.
Ashwin was forthright in stating that he appealed as he was fully confident that Clarke had hit the ball.
“It was clear to me that he hit the ball and that’s why we all went up to appeal. At the end of the day, it does happen. And Kumar Dharamasena is himself an off-spinner… We thought he’d give a few dismissals to me, to look at the lighter side,” the burly off-spinner, who had figures of 6 for 88 said.
He did admit that the thought of emulating Anil Kumble’s feat of getting 10 wickets did cross his mind.
“I’d be lying if I said no! Because the way things were going since the morning, the way the ball was coming out of my hand, I thought OK, actually it’s a real possibility here. But in between, I had an injury on my finger and I had to go off the field. That took the momentum out a bit. Henriques and Clarke got in and they batted beautifully after that.”
The 26-year-old however snapped back when someone asked him about his dip in form against England.
“See, I honestly think I didn’t have a bad series against England. So if that was your opinion, yes you’re supposed to have your opinion and I won’t barge in on that, but I bowled exactly the same as I bowled against England, but yes today the wickets were coming.” (PTI)
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel