I and Ashwin are bowling well in tandem: Ojha

Hyderabad: Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha on Saturday said he and Ravichandran Ashwin have it in them to take forward the legacy of great Indian spinners of the past as they are bowling well in tandem.

Ashwin (6 for 31) and Ojha (3 for 44) shared nine wickets between them as India bundled out the visitors for 159 after scoring 438 in their first innings in the first Test here.

“India have legacy of (producing) great spinners and as young spinners we are definitely looking forward to follow their foot steps. We have been picking wickets and the way we are bowling, I am confident that we can do well in this series,” Ojha said after rain-affected third day.

Ojha said they miss the experience of Harbhajan Singh but he and Ashwin are up to the task.

“The most important thing is to win games for India whether it’s Harbhajan Singh or Ashwin. When I was bowling with Bhajju-pa, I used to talk a lot to him. That’s the kind of thing we miss.

“With Ashwin and me playing together, we also talk to each other a lot. The amount of cricket he has played obviously helps. Ashwin and I have bowled really well and we should do well in the upcoming games,” he said.

Ojha, who represents Hyderabad in first-class cricket, said he was disappointed that he did not get a five-for in the first innings but hoped to get it in the second innings.

“To be very frank, I was looking to take five wickets here. Specially when you are playing for Hyderabad, growing up here, you played a lot of games here. It would have been really special. Nevertheless I’ve got wicket in the second innings. I’m looking forward to do it,” Ojha, who took the only wicket in Kiwi’s second innings, said.

Ojha said India have good chance to warp up things as the wicket has started helping the spinners much more now.

“It’s a good wicket. There is some bounce off the wicket. Now in the second innings, it has started turning more. It was turning from the fourth stump in the first innings, now it’s good to see turning from the middle stump as well. It’s a good sign for us.

“The way things are going, we are quite confident that everything will fall in place. We have got two more days to go and we are quite confident with the way we guys are bowling and the way the game is approaching,” he said.

About his own bowling, Ojha said he has always believed in keeping it simple.

“The best thing is to keep it very simple. It’s always good to keep your basics right. Just try to be a bit more disciplined when you’re playing Tests. You have to play with the patience of the batsman and let him commit a mistake. It’s a bonus for you when it’s turning.”

Ojha said he never played as a bowler, whose job is just to restrict the batsmen.

“I have said this to many people that it’s a team plan. On a first day you can never come and give easy runs to the batsmen. Because the game has changed. Earlier people used to play to draw the Test match, now they play to win the Test series. You play with patience, keep things tight and let them commit mistake.” That’s what I feel.”