File photo of Ravichandran Ashwin©
Ravichandran Ashwin believes that the new ODI Powerplay rules implemented in 2015 were aimed at curbing India’s dominance on the world stage due to their spin attack. In a recent interaction, Ashwin recalled that India was a dominant side in 2013-14, with the spinners playing a huge role, but all this changed with the implementation of the new rules. With two new balls allowed and changes in the fielding restrictions, the game was slightly tilted towards the batters and Ashwin noted that this was one of the main reasons why the matches scored quite high.
“Team India dominated ODI cricket during 2013-2014. One of the main reasons for that was that we didn’t have five fielders within the circle rule and the two new ball rule. I somehow feel that India’s dominance in spin was stifling world cricket,” Ashwin said on his official YouTube channel.
“(Ravindra) Jadeja and I were the two spinners at that time. Yuvraj (Singh) and Yusuf (Pathan) often scored in single overs. With four fielders inside the circle it was very difficult to get away in the middle overs” But then we implemented they introduced the two new ball rule and all brought the five field players within the circle rule. Once they did that, the 240-250-260 games disappeared,” the veteran spinner added.
Ashwin also praised KL Rahul and said he is slowly becoming a perfect middle-order batsman.
“Apparently KL Rahul was not supposed to play that match. Shreyas Iyer was initially supposed to play that game. I have always maintained that KL Rahul at No.5 is a lock. ODI cricket should have its ebbs and flows. KL Rahul gives us the stability with the bat in the middle order.”
Therefore, it is very difficult to bat in the middle order. MS Dhoni has mastered that art. I am not comparing MS Dhoni and KL Rahul at all. But I feel like he is slowly mastering his role perfectly,” he explained.
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