Ashwin to Remain Test Specialist For Next Few Years: Gavaskar

Ashwin picked 9 wickets in Chennai and also hit a century on a pitch which was seemed unplayable to some.

Player of the Match R Ashwin after India won the 2nd Test in Chennai against England. 

Image: BCCI

India ace R Ashwin will remain a Test match player for the next half-a dozen years and but may not get a chance to play the limited overs format for India, according to Sunil Gavaskar.

The 34-year-old might have made a name for himself playing for India, but his ODI career is curtailed since July 2017 after a disappointing ICC Champions Trophy. As a result, Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were dropped from the squad. Meanwhile Jadeja is back playing ODI cricket for India, Ashwin's ODI dreams might not be realised. At least, Gavaskar feels so.

"I somehow don't think he will now make a comeback in the Indian limited-overs team because India have found in Hardik Pandya the all-rounder at No.7, there is Ravindra Jadeja and then they will have three seamers or maybe one spinner and two-seamers," Sunil Gavaskar told Star Sports.

"I don't think he will fit into the squad at the moment and therefore, he will be a Test match player for the next half a dozen years at least," Gavaskar added.

Ashwin went onto pick nine wickets in the match and also hit a century in the second innings of the game on a pitch which was seemed unplayable to ex-English cricketers. Meanwhile on day 4 at Chepauk the writing was on the wall after England's hopeless performance with the bat in the first innings. They did not fare much better in the second innings either getting bowled for a paltry 164 handing India a massive 317-run series-levelling victory.

Axar Patel and R Ashwin were the pick of the Indian bowlers and returned with five and three wickets each to rout the visitors in just under 55 overs shortly after Lunch on Day 4. England registered two of their seven lowest team totals in India in this match - 134 and 164 - an indicator of their poor batting display as much as the excellent bowling by the Indian spinners on a helpful Chepauk wicket.