Marnus Labuschagne was all praise for India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, saying that he enjoys his duels with the veteran cricketer.
Australia batter Marnus Labuschagne was all praise for India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, saying that he enjoys his duels with the veteran cricketer. While recalling his battles with the 34-year-old during the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar series, Labuschagne, who is currently the no. 1 Test batter in the world, took note of Ashwin’s ability to assess the batter, adding that playing against him “felt like a chess game”. “He is very good at assessing batsmen, and that’s why I have enjoyed facing him,” Labuschagne told Sportstar in an interview.
“What I loved most about Ashwin was the fields he had for me and how I was trying to move the field in my endeavour to score runs. Just the way both of us were able to chop and change in the middle of an engrossing passage. It almost felt like a chess game. He bowled beautifully in Melbourne… got a few early wickets with the leg slip,” he added.
Ashwin was one of the top performers for Team India during the four-match Test series in Australia, picking up 12 wickets in three matches, as India won their second successive Test series Down Under.
With Australia set to tour India in 2023 to play 4 Tests, three ODIs and as many T20Is, Labuschagne and the other batters are likely to have a tough time in the spin-friendly conditions.
But, since Australia will make a few sub-continent tours later this year, including to Pakistan, Labuschagne is hopeful that he’ll be able to test himself and bring out a few tricks out of his bag as well.
“We’ve got a few subcontinent tours before my next trip to India, and hopefully, I can challenge myself in those conditions. I have a few tricks up my sleeve,” he said.
Australia will tour Pakistan for the first time in 24 years. Both teams will play three Tests, three ODIs, and a one-off T20I, starting next month.