May be Ashwin, Yasir or Lyon don't have enough variations to survive in ODIs: Mushtaq

The likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Nathan Lyon have been world class bowlers in Tests but their failure to translate it into success in white-ball formats could be due to the "lack of variations" on flat decks, feels former Pakistan leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed.

Ashwin (365 wickets from 71 games), Lyon (390 wickets in 96 Tests) and Pakistan's leg-break bowler Yasir Shah (213 wickets in 39 Tests) have won innumerable games for their countries in longest formats only to be found wanting in ODIs and T20s.

"Look at Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav. They have won so many (white ball) games for India in the last two years. May be the likes of Lyon, Ashwin and Yasir don't have enough variations to survive in one-day cricket," Mushtaq, a former Pakistan great told PTI in an exclusive interview.

Mushtaq, who has coached around the world including a champion England side that had a spinner of the calibre of Graeme Swann in its ranks, feels the categorisation of Test and limited overs spinners is the need of the hour.

"Test cricket remains the ultimate challenge for the spinners as you get to know their true skills. The likes of Yasir Shah, Nathan Lyon, Moeen Ali, Ashwn. These are the guys I admire. Their contribution to Test cricket has been huge," Ahmed told PTI in an interview.

"Some of them have been successful in one day cricket also but the game has changed drastically since the five fielder rule inside the (30-yard) circle came into being. For that, mystery spinners as well as wrist spinners have become more effective. Guys like Like Adil Rashid, Adam Zampa, Yuvzendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Shadab Khan."
"In one -day cricket, if the pitches are good and you don't have variations or a mystery ball, you can't survive. For example, a champion bowler like Lyon has been exposed in one day cricket. He has not been as successful as he has been in the longest format."
"Also, the amount of cricket being played, you need to have different spinners for different formats. You zero in on five-six spinners and use them in different formats. That way their career is prolonged also."
"You will see a lot of leg-spinners in the next 10-15 years. Batsman nowadays are used to playing express pace but they still struggle against leg-spinners."
"When I used to play against India, I knew that they would get a single off a good ball also. Technically, they were very strong. Their gravity levels, intent, trigger movement, use of crease, how to play on different pitches. It is not the same anymore