"Someone please explain why R Ashwin is now a spectator? Frankly, he would be my fourth automatic pick after Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara in this Indian Test team. He is a banker, yet he is being treated like a robber. He is being treated like a wheelie bin, dumped on the side of the road. Instead, Stuart Binny is deemed the better Test player," Crowe wrote in his column for ESPN Cricinfo.
"India have a tremendous opportunity to topple this shaky England unit. To do so they need every department covered. Normally, spin would be India's sure thing. No longer is that case if Ravindra Jadeja is deemed your best spinner," the 51-year-old veteran of 77 Tests and 143 ODIs said.
He went to the extent of saying that Jadeja's inclusion in the playing XI "smacks of something extremely odd".
"It smacks of something extremely odd. Jadeja can bat, often flamboyantly and recklessly, and as a leftie at No. 7 he can do some damage. But his left-arm spin is nothing short of ordinary. At best he is a third-choice spinner in Indian conditions, where three are often needed.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
