Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has questioned England Test captain Ben Stokes’ technique against spin bowling, especially after England’s poor showing in the ongoing Test series.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin explained that batting against pace and spin requires different methods and that the same approach cannot be applied to both.
“Ben Stokes has been getting out to off-spinners for as long as I’ve been bowling and watching him. Is this question being asked? He is a fabulous player with the right attitude, but you cannot play spin in the same way you play fast bowling. You have to watch the ball out of the hand. The theory of playing spin is to get to the pitch of the ball. If you don’t do that, you’re always vulnerable,” Ashwin said.
Stokes’ struggles against spin were once again highlighted in the third Test at the Adelaide Oval. The England skipper was bowled by Nathan Lyon in the second innings as England fell short of the target by 82 runs. It was another disappointing outing for the visitors, who have now lost all three Tests in the series so far.
From a personal standpoint, Stokes has scored 165 runs from three matches at an average of 27.50. While his intent and leadership have been evident, the numbers reflect a tough series for the England captain with the bat. England’s overall performance has also come under heavy scrutiny, with the team failing to win a single Test so far.
Ashwin further pointed out a broader issue among modern batters when facing spin bowling. According to him, several players rely heavily on aggressive shots because they lack confidence in their defensive technique.
“I’m seeing many western players like Ben Stokes, Ben Duckett and Aiden Markram sweeping or reverse-sweeping because their defensive technique against spin isn’t right. The moment you commit to the sweep, you’re picking the line early and trying to defend it, instead of reading what the ball is doing and getting to it,” he added.
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