Ravichandran Ashwin is the best DRS bowler in the world: John Bracewell

New Delhi: Former New Zealand spinner John Bracewell believes that current India tweaker Ravichandran Ashwin has become doubly effective with the advent of the Decision Review System (DRS).

For a long time, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been opposing DRS, but the Indian cricket board recently gave the go-ahead to ICC’s new improved version of the review system last year, ahead of the five-Test home series against England.

Since then, India have played eight Tests in which DRS has been implemented; however, there have been a lot of controversy regarding the review system during this time.

Despite these controversies, Bracewell, who has picked up 102 wickets from 41 Tests, believes that Ashwin can become doubly effective, now that DRS is being implemented.

“Ashwin is a contrasting bowler when you compare him to a (Nathan) Lyon,” Bracewell said to the Indian Express. “Both are essentially off-spinners, but Ashwin bowls more in the tramlines, and he gets the ball to skid and drop cleverly.

“He is very dextrous and is the best DRS bowler in the world because he bowls much straighter and hits the batsmen’s pads pretty regularly,” said Bracewell.

Speaking about Ashwin’s opposite number in the India-Australia Test series, Bracewell said that the Australian tweaker has improved a lot from his last tour to India in 2013, when the hosts completed a 4-0 whitewash of the Aussies.

“Look at him. He is a far more improved and confident bowler than what he was during the 2013 series. The frequent trips to the subcontinent have helped him gain experience and add variety in his bowling,” Bracewell said.

“Another aspect of his bowling is the subtle manner in which he varies his pace. He can now flight it and even fizz it off the turf almost at will. It just shows the kind of strides he had made as a bowler.”