INDIA SPINNERS UPSTAGEDIn Rajkot, on a grassy pitch, India’s spin attack, led by R Ashwin, was left a touch embarrassed as the England trio, tutored by former Pakistan spin great, Saqlain Mushtaq, fared much better. Leg-spinner Adil Rashid took seven wickets as the visiting side’s spinners shared 13 scalps against nine by India’s trio. Swann and Panesar, who was not picked for the first Test, shared 19 wickets while Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha and Harbhajan Singh accounted for 14. On the 1987 home Test series against Pakistan, criticism of dull pitches after four draws in a row forced India to throw caution to the winds and prepare a rank turner for the final match in Bengaluru. Sunil Gavaskar’s brilliant 96 in his farewell Test innings almost sealed victory for India but they fell just short.

Source: Hindustan Times November 14, 2016 15:17 UTC