'All-time great': Sourav Ganguly hails R Ashwin for all-rounder's phenomenal achievement in Tests

When playing Tests on home soil, Team India has been a supreme force in recent times. The dominance has continued in the ongoing series against England, thanks to an enthralling performance from the spinners- Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav. Now, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has showered immense praise on the trio, referring to their sublime form in the home series. During an interaction with RevSportz, Ganguly was asked to share his view on each of these players, who have become a crucial component for the Indian Test side, especially in the subcontinental conditions.

Speaking about Ashwin, Ganguly was quick to brand the veteran off-spinner as one of the all-time greats. It has been a memorable series for Ashwin, who breached the 500-wicket mark in the longest format during the third Test against England in Rajkot. He is the ninth bowler and second Indian to achieve the feat following legends like Muttiah Muralitharan and Anil Kumble.

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Highlighting his groundbreaking achievement, Ganguly said about Ashwin, “All-time great, all-time great offspring. 500 wickets is not a matter of joke.”

The ex-BCCI President also expressed his admiration for Ravindra Jadeja, who has demonstrated his quality across departments in this home series. While he has struggled to pick wickets, Jadeja has proven his calibre in batting. On his home ground, Rajkot, Jadeja scored a gritty century in the third Test that played a key role in India claiming a 434-run victory in the match.

As per the current ICC rankings, Jadeja is the No. 1 all-rounder in the longest format. Underlining his influence in the Indian team, Ganguly said, “You have Jadeja, the best all-rounder at the moment. Bat and ball in these conditions.”

The former cricketer then discussed Kuldeep Yadav’s exceptional comeback following a prolonged lean patch. He was one of the top bowlers for India in the ICC ODI World Cup last year. Courtesy of his impressive performance, Kuldeep was able to secure a place in the Test unit and has undoubtedly made the most out of the opportunity.

“I think Kuldeep has come back immensely. He’s improved immensely. And I think with bowlers like Ashwin and Jadeja, he’s not been underdone by them. He’s made a mark of his in the series and will go on to play for India for a long period,” Ganguly explained.

Despite a losing start to the series, India went onto take an unassailable lead in the five-match series against England following consecutive wins in the last three Tests. The hosts lead the series 3-1, with the fifth and final match is slated to begin on 7 March in Dharamshala.