What the **** was that Ashwin?! Ashwin's response (post #87)

[nikred]

Second last ball was a wise decision' date=' last ball decision was a blunder[/quote'] THIS. Funny peeps here are saying there was no two. They took close risky singles when there was no run at all. This was a zero risk two. :((

[vvvslaxman]

Strategy of defending last but one ball was wrong..He should've gone for his shots instead of defending...This is his third match' date=' hence too much responsibility for him, so I'd give him the benifit of doubt.[/quote'] THere are so many villains in this match. Since Ashwin is the most recent one.. he will be remembered the most for wrong reasons.

[Raghav_12]

It was kind of brain-freeze from Ashwin. Second last ball I can understand but not the last one. He should have run like a madman there. I just can't come up with a possible logical reason for that. But he did more than what we could have asked for as a batsman and probably as a bowler also. Had a great game and series. Overall, in the end somehow I didn't see much urge or desperation to win the game, safety first was the approach, going in last 3-4 overs.

[Talwar]

i think Ashwin's running needs to improve.

reminds me of kumble. very aggressive cricketer and a very poor athlete.

[Raghav_12]

But they didnt. No point in thinking about hypothetical scenarios. The ball was already on the way back to the keeper before he could even get back to the other end. There was only 1 there because he hit the ball very hard. A batsman knows how many runs are available when he hits the ball.

That is just lame reasoning. Come for second, you have nothing to lose. Nothing hypothetical about that. He was slow right from the beginning. Aaron had covered quite good amount of ground, by the time Ashwin had contemplated on a second run.

[devla]

If Dhoni or Kohli had played the same shot.. they would have almost completed the run.

Both had a chance to be there for the last ball, didnt they? My point is, the guy played a great game with the bat and the ball. Cut him some slack for not running where there was never a second run.

[vvvslaxman]

It was kind of brain-freeze from Ashwin. Second last ball I can understand but not the last one. He should have run like a madman there. I just can't come up with a possible logical reason for that. But he did more than what we could have asked for as a batsman and probably as a bowler also. Had a great game and series. Overall, in the end somehow I didn't see much urge or desperation to win the game, safety first was the approach, going in last 3-4 overs.

Probably he backed himself to hit a 4 without worrying about loss. Actually i thought it was a 4 as he hit it dead straight. But Windies field set was near perfect towards the end. so many balls were hit directly to fielders.. Bowlers bowled to their field. Laxman, Dhoni, Kohli repeatedly hit the ball straight to fielders. Should have sealed much earlier when Samuels bowled so many overs on the trot.

[Raghav_12]

Probably he backed himself to hit a 4 without worrying about loss. Actually i thought it was a 4 as he hit it dead straight. But Windies field set was near perfect towards the end. so many balls were hit directly to fielders.. Bowlers bowled to their field. Laxman' date=' Dhoni, Kohli repeatedly hit the ball straight to fielders. [b']Should have sealed much earlier when Samuels bowled so many overs on the trot.

A bit unfortunate that we could not win even when WI's bowling department was seriously paralyzed. Bishoo was on one leg, Sammy did not bowl at all. That leaves them with just two frontline bowlers - Castro and Rampaul. Castro did not bowl much either.

[vvvslaxman]

I just saw the replay.. There was absolutely no two in that even for good runners. filder was very close to midon. He was in perfect position to prevent 2.

[phaedrus]

it shouldnt have come to the last over. the top order, needs to take the blame. ashwin still needs to run better, similarities with laxman in the running between wickets too

[skindia]

he reserved energy

[amiret]

I would have preferred it if Ashwin had TRIED to score runs instead of blocking the 5th ball and playing like LOSERS when the series is already won against a 7th ranked west indies team . In 2003 sydney we witnessed the same thing , when Ganguly delayed the declaration because he was Scared of losing. Same story in 2007 in England when Dravid was the captain.

[mani0993]

The shot was hit well inside the crease. There was no two unless he was Ishant's height and had put in a full length dive or the keeper or the thrower made a mess of it. Not defending Ashwin. IMO he should've looked for the two in any case instead of covering up for Varun. And what Sanjay said in the studio was very true. Audio is the proof. But I don't seem to agree with that kind of covering-up for the partner and running. It works most of the time, but not worth taking a risk. In hindsight it's very easy to say it shouldn't have been kept to the last ball. Give credit to WI for fighting till the end instead of making fun of Ashwin. He saved two innings. MoM and MoS is not a joke. As far as Bhajji's case is concerned. He might have hit a boundary of the penultimate ball or got out himself leaving jitters in Ojha's mind.

[saneindian]

Well played Ashwin. Not the first time a lower order bat has failed to scored 2 off the last ball to win a match. WI did not deserve to lose after the way they batted in first innings and fought valiantly despite limited bowling. The way our middle order batted, we did not deserve to win either. So a fair result in the end.

[Ranjha]

I personally would have been ok with risking the chance of getting 2 wickets out in 2 balls. We already won the series. Even if there was 1% chance of losing, it shouldnt have mattered. We needed a white wash but oh well.

[Ranjha]

Well played Ashwin. Not the first time a lower order bat has failed to scored 2 off the last ball to win a match. WI did not deserve to lose after the way they batted in first innings and fought valiantly despite limited bowling. The way our middle order batted, we did not deserve to win either. So a fair result in the end.

but defending the ball in this position and not trying?

[saneindian]

but defending the ball in this position and not trying?

Why risk losing the match when there is every possibility of scoring a 2 off the last ball? Would have been heart breaking if after having so fought so well, we would have lost the match. All ifs and buts, but I would take such a draw any day over a last ball defeat.

[Lord]

but defending the ball in this position and not trying?

he wasnt defending

63.5 FH Edwards to Ashwin, no run, 145.6 kph, big lbw appeal. The inside edge saves him. India can't lose now. This can't even be a tie. Late swing now. Ashwin looks to work this to leg, at the same time not taking a big risk, in order to rule out a defeat

he just wasnt slogging,it was great thinking imo

[Ranjha]

No guts No glory. So close yet so far.

[vvvslaxman]

That's a weak person mindset :headshake: be gutsy & go for the glory' date=' if you fail..no harm..atleast you tried instead of chickening out[/quote'] There is nothing more humiliating than losing to a chanderpaul, gayle, sarwan less West INdies side in your own backyard.