Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has said that he is not too worried about India having to win big in their remaining matches to boost their net-run rate after losing to South Africa in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
The Suryakumar Yadav-led side need to win their remaining two matches and also ensure those victories help recover their net run-rate, which stands at -3.80 after the 76-run loss to the Proteas.
“I wouldn’t be too bothered about the net run rate. We have to win two out of two games. We need to respect the conditions a bit. Take some time and bat. This team is a young team, they need to handle pressure better. We have Hardik and Rinku. Build a platform for them by stitching partnerships. There is no need to be in a hurry,” he said on ‘Ash ki Baat’.
“I don’t think there is still a problem. Against Zimbabwe, I am sure we can put in a much better performance. I am sure we will tune up very well. But we have to remember two things. We need to learn that these are pitches the ICC is giving with enough in it for both batters and bowlers. The contest is fair. The shots that we play in bilaterals and unfair conditions there, we have to play with some respect as a batting unit,” he added.
He, however, questioned Suryakumar’s captaincy in Sunday’s match, criticising the use of Washington Sundar against the Protean left-handers.
The 39-year-old said that India were not great tactically in the game and questioned why Sundar was removed from the attack, after David Miller hit him for 11 runs.
“We lost tactically. If you played Sundar, you had to use him against left-handers. Both Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton got out early. Against Miller he went for 11 runs in an over. It can happen. He is not playing consistently. Then you took him out of the attack and we could not use one spinner at all,” the 106-Test veteran said.
