Prasan lavishes praise on Ashwin

Kolkata, Sep 26: Legendary India tweaker Erapalli Prasan on Monday rated offie Ravichandran Ashwin as the best spinner in the cricket world.

Ashwin became the second fastest ever and the quickest Indian to reach 200 Test wickets when he got rid of New Zealand captain Kane Williamson in the first Test in Kanpur on Sunday.

The Tamil du off-spinner finished with a six-for in the second innings to help Virat Kohli’s men pummel the Kiwis by 197 runs to take a 1-0 lead.

“It is a remarkable performance. Ashwin is the best off-spinner available on the cricketing scene at the moment,” Prasan told IANS over phone on Monday.

“The man who started as a batsman who could bowl has now become a bowler who can bat. The journey has been amazing. India is extremely lucky to have him as their prime spinner,” said Prasan, who scalped 189 wickets in 49 Test matches.

Asked how Ashwin can carry his home form in overseas games, Prasan said, “Whatever he has achieved and the number of Tests he has played will help him be a better bowler on overseas wickets. I think he will prove people wrong that he cannot take wickets outside India. “He is an intelligent bowler. He has got a good cricketing brain. He needs to be consistent overseas and I’m sure he will sort it out.” IANS