New Delhi: Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin was highly impressed by England’s Adil Rashid after his stunning delivery in Rajkot. The 37-year-old leg-spinner played a key role in England’s 26-run victory over India at Niranjan Shah Stadium on January 28. Rashid took the wicket of Tilak Varma in the eighth over of India’s chase with a brilliant delivery that hit the stumps. Ashwin, captivated by the incredible wrist spin, couldn’t contain his excitement and shared his reaction on X (formerly Twitter). “Absolute seed. Scrambled seam and serious side spin. Top bowling Adil Rashid,” Ashwin wrote.
Adil Rashid claimed a crucial wicket on the last ball of the eighth over, deceiving Tilak Varma with a sharp turning delivery that swung back into the batter. Varma, waiting on the backfoot to play, misread the ball and was bowled out. This wicket marked a remarkable comeback for Rashid in the series, especially after being hit for 27 runs in Kolkata. Though he couldn’t prevent India’s progress in Chennai, the experienced spinner played a key role in England’s defense, keeping the five-match series competitive.
Absolute seed
.
Scrambled seam and serious side spin.
Top bowling Adil Rashid#INDvsENG pic.twitter.com/9omCsdmaxU
— Ashwin
(@ashwinravi99) January 28, 2025
Ravichandran Ashwin wasn’t the only one captivated by Rashid’s stunning delivery. India’s captain, Suryakumar Yadav, also praised the England spinner’s brilliance during the post-match presentation. Yadav mentioned that India had the match under control with Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel at the crease.
“I felt there would be little dew later in the day. I feel we had the game in our hands when Hardik and Axar were batting,” he said, as per multiple outlets. According to Suryakumar, Adil’s spell played an important role in turning the game in England’s favour. “Credit goes to Adil Rashid, he bowled well. That’s why he is a world-class bowler. He didn’t allow us to rotate the strike,” the Indian skipper concluded.
In the third T20I between India and England, the visitors batted first at Niranjan Shah Stadium and posted a target of 172. India’s chase got off to a rough start as both openers, Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, were dismissed during the powerplay. After Suryakumar Yadav’s wicket, India’s innings struggled, with Adil Rashid making it difficult for the batters to score. In his four overs, the English spinner gave away just 15 runs, helping secure a crucial win for Jos Buttler’s team.
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