‘We are backing our bowlers to do the job’

Backing the team’s decision of picking five bowlers on what looks to be a good batting track, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Wednesday said that the bowling department will certainly use their Australian experience on placid Bangladesh wickets in the ongoing one-off Test here.

Electing to bat, the Virat Kohli-led India scored 239 for no loss on the opening day as Shikhar Dhawan (150 not out) and Murali Vijay (89 not out) demolished the Bangladeshi attack, which comprises four specialist spinners. Ashwin said the Indian bowlers will certainly do better than their Bangladeshi counterparts when their time comes.

“I think it’s an individual perception, they probably saw the wicket in a way they wanted to see it and we are seeing it in a different way. We have got bowlers who can exploit with 140 kmph plus, if there is a bit of reverse swing,” Ashwin said at the press conference after the opening day’s play.

“It’s also about how the bowlers are bowling. Our bowlers have been pretty good and they have learnt a lot over the last months in Australia. We are backing ourselves and we are looking to play the best possible bowlers we have. I think every side does that, play the best possible bowlers they have,” he added. With weather already threatening to play spoilsport after four hours of play was lost and only 56 overs possible on Day 1, Ashwin said India will try their best to control the “controllable”.

“As far as I see it, cricket is a game where even if you look to control the controllable it is very hard. You can’t really control the weather it’s out of our reach and we have put our best foot forward,” said 28-year-old Ashwin. “We have played five bowlers and we will look at the best possible result. If the time is there and if we bowl really well and we get a little bit of help and a little bit of luck then we can force a result. We will control the controllable,” he said.