Feb. 15 (CRICKETNMORE) - Former Australian skipper Steve Waugh has praised Indian off-spinner and allrounder Ravichandran Ashwin, branding the record-breaking spinner "the Bradman of bowling".
Ashwin became the fastest bowler to claim 250 Test wickets last weekend. Steve Waugh paid Ashwin the ultimate Australian compliment by comparing him to the game's greatest batsman, the late Donald Bradman.
"He is the Bradman of bowling. Ashwin is doing what Don Bradman did with batting. Pretty incredible stuff and he is a handy batsman too," Waugh was quoted as saying in the Times of India on Wednesday.
"Ashwin is the player that Australia have to overcome and probably then we have a chance. His record in India is just phenomenal," said Waugh, who was attending an awards ceremony in Monaco.
Speaking about how difficult to beat India in home, he said,""India are very hard to beat in India and that has been proved in the last couple of years. They are a very settled side and everyone is very confident in their role," said Waugh.
The four-match series between India and Australia begins in Pune on February 23. The other Tests are in Bangalore, Ranchi and Dharamsala.
Saurabh Sharma (With inputs from interview in Times of India)