IND vs AUS 2022-23: India mocked Australia in the opening Nagpur Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Meanwhile, Ravichandran Ashwin stated that the pitch wasn't easy to bowl, either.

On Saturday, India's premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said his plan of luring Australia batters to play drive-shots and induce mistakes from them on a slow Nagpur track worked well as the home side won the first Test by an innings and 132 runs here. Ashwin was India's highest wicket-taker with a figure of 8/79, with a five-for in Australia's second innings on the third day on Saturday.

"The wicket was very slow. I have been saying this all through the Test. Not one of those pitches where you might get the gloves ripping off at short leg or silly point. It would be best if you got the batsman driving on this wicket. So, I thought giving them [Australia batters] one of two balls to drive, induce them into shots and probably induce the other half of the bat as well," Ashwin said after the match.

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The senior player talked highly about the home team's spinners as they can also bat well, as shown by the Man of the Match Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. Jadeja also scored 70 crucial runs in India's first innings total of 400, besides taking seven wickets for 81 runs. At the same time, Axar contributed 84 with the bat to become the second-highest scorer for India in the match after captain Rohit Sharma (120).

"To say [that I got] massive help from Jadu will be an understatement. He has been in phenomenal form. In the last three years, the way he has batted and bowled, we don't need to talk about how well he moves on the field and how much addition he has been to the team. He has just been a fantastic cricketer. I am so thankful that I got a bowling partner like him. Axar is also no ordinary bowler either, so we have a perfect set of spinners, and we can also bat," said Ashwin.

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Asked about the dominant win against a top side like Australia, he said, "I will credit our batting unit. They kept them [Australian team] long on the field. It would be difficult for them to come out of the bat. The early wickets set the tone for us today." In India's first innings, Ashwin came out ahead of Cheteshwar Pujara as the night watchman after wicketkeeper-opener KL Rahul's dismissal on the first day on Thursday. He went on to score 23 runs.

Asked if he volunteered to come out at number three, Ashwin said, "It has been going on for a while. I struggle to cope sitting inside and watching the guys bat in the middle. Sometimes, it is too nervous for me these days. I have been asking for an opportunity to go out and bat early on. There was an opportunity (in this Test). It presented itself."

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"My friend Pujara just let me go as a night watchman with 20 minutes to go [on the first day], and I gladly took the opportunity. I look forward to going out and batting. I feel that I am getting into a good position. If and when I get an opportunity, I am always ready. And, knowing Puji [Pujara], I think it is going to happen [in future]," added Ashwin.

Despite the thrashing at the hands of India, Ashwin said Australia would look to bounce back in the series in the remaining matches. "They [Australia] will introspect and devise different plans in the next game. I have experimented a lot over the years, but I have also learnt that staying in the moment and staying then is also important. You keep trying and planning. So, I expect Australia to come back hard and strong. They are a world-class side. We all know that," he concluded. The second Test of the four-match series begins in Delhi on February 17.

(With inputs from PTI)