Ashwin’s Absence a Massive Miss for India: Maharoof

“Regarding Ashwin, I think it is going to be a massive miss. I mean, not only Ravi Ashwin, even the likes of the batters like Virat, Rohit, and with the ball, Jasprit. I think these guys are legends of the game. The records speak for themselves. The numbers are brilliant and Ravi Ashwin, whenever he toured Sri Lanka, he did well,” Maharoof told IANS in an online interaction facilitated by Sony Sports Network.

He explained that while turn is often discussed in Sri Lankan conditions, it is the bounce that frequently picks up wickets for spinners. Ashwin, he said, would have been the ideal candidate for such surfaces. Washington Sundar’s absence would also be felt because of his ability to extract bounce on turning pitches.

“Overall, Ravi Ashwin’s shoes are hard to fill. The numbers speak for itself – not just for his bowling prowess, it’s also for his batting prowess too as a number six batter,” Maharoof added.

With Ashwin having retired in 2024, India’s succession plan remains unclear. Jadeja is nearing the later stages of his career, while Kuldeep Yadav, despite 79 wickets, has featured in only 18 Tests since his 2017 debut and remained on the bench throughout the five-match series against England. Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar impressed on debut with a seven-wicket haul against Afghanistan and performed well in the warm-up game in Colombo.

Maharoof said he preferred Suthar’s ability to generate bounce on the Galle pitch. “Talking about the rest of the spinners in the Indian side, I really like how Manav Suthar made his debut against Afghanistan a few months ago and how he bowled in the warm-up game as well. His pace and bounce, I really like him.”

He acknowledged the question of playing two left-arm spinners but said he would be tempted to field Jadeja, Kuldeep and Suthar. “I think Kuldeep Yadav is a front-runner to start in Galle… Ideally, you like to see an off-spinner for a variation. But I will not be surprised if Manav Suthar plays as well simply because I feel with his ability to get bounce off the surface, it can be handy in Galle.”

On the challenge of bowling in Galle, Maharoof highlighted the importance of adapting to cross-winds that create drift. He identified Sri Lanka’s Prabath Jayasuriya as the home side’s main spin weapon, noting the left-armer’s strong record at the venue.

Turning to India’s batting, Maharoof singled out Rishabh Pant as the player Sri Lanka would fear most because of his ability to change a game within a short period. He also pointed to the solid starts of Devdutt Padikkal and the free-flowing approach of Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Maharoof advised India’s attacking batters to trust their natural game and emphasised that first-innings totals would prove decisive. “It’s all about trusting your process… first innings scores for me is going to be a massive one,” he concluded.