India vs Australia: Injury to R. Ashwin could hurt India, says Michael Hussey

The loss of off-spinner R. Ashwin would “throw the team balance out quite a lot” in Perth, according to Michael Hussey, the former Australia batsman.

R. Ashwin (right) is recovering from a left abdominal strain.

The loss of off-spinner R. Ashwin due to injury may prove to be a debilitating blow for India, according to Michael Hussey, the former Australia batsman. Ashwin, who took six wickets in the first Test at Adelaide Oval, was ruled out of the ongoing second Test due to a left abdominal strain.

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“It’ll definitely throw the team balance out quite a lot, I would have thought,” Hussey, who played 79 Tests for Australia during his career, was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au .

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“You could tell quite clearly in Adelaide they liked to use the spinner — much like Australia, really — to bowl a lot of overs from one end and then rotate the faster men from the other end,” he said.

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Ashwin had returned figures of 6 for 149 from 86.5 overs in India’s 31-run win over Australia.

In Ashwin’s absence, India went for a four-pronged pace attack in the second Test — only for the third time in its Test history. Australia registered 277 for six on Day One.