India begin post-Ashwin era with a few questions to answer

R Ashwin liked nothing more than solving problems with the zeal of an obsessed academician. Different angles and approaches would be tried, videos would be studied, speed would be varied, traps would be set and more often than not, he would get his reward.

- Rasesh Mandani

His persistence was unique because it was ever-changing. It made him a tough opponent and one that teams learned to fear, especially when touring India. With left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja giving nothing away from the other end, Ashwin was free to take a flight of fancy.

Ever since he picked a five-wicket haul on debut in 2011, the thinking off-spinner was India's main course in their winning formula at home. He went on to pick up more home wickets (383) than Anil Kumble (350), added 28 more home 5-fers to his tally, bested only by Muttiah Muralitharan.

The series against the West Indies will be the first one that India will play at home since their problem-solver retired in December 2024 and it leaves Shubman Gill and the team management with a void to fill.

In Ahmedabad on Tuesday, Washington Sundar had a full-fledged bowling net two days ahead of the first Test. Ashwin's Tamil Nadu teammate has shown signs during his short career so far, of being cut of the same cloth.