Ravichandran Ashwin is World's Best Spinner: Sunil Gavaskar

Ravichandran Ashwin's bowling made the Nagpur Test match "a joy to watch" for Sunil Gavaskar. The former Indian captain was all praise for the 29-year-old Ashwin, whose match haul of 12 wickets for 98 runs scripted India's 124-run win against South Africa at the Vidarbha Cricket Stadium in Jamtha on Friday. (No Excuses Please, Say India After Ending South Africa's Winning Streak Overseas)

In an exclusive chat with NDTV, Gavaskar said Ashwin was the "world's best spinner" and the way he "out-thought" AB de Villiers on Friday made the Nagpur Test a connoisseurs' delight.

Needing an improbable 310 to win the third Test, De Villiers was one man who could have taken South Africa's fight to the Indian camp. But Ashwin outwitted the South African batting "superman" with his trademark carrom ball in a probing over that had class written all over.

"The way he got AB's wicket was just terrific stuff. Things like this make Test cricket such a joy to watch," Gavaskar said. (Ashwin is World's Best, Says Kohli)

The Nagpur Test ended in three days. India's spinners claimed all 20 South Africa wickets on a pitch that was dry, abrasive and turned from the very first day.

Gavaskar once again defended the pitch and said the partnership between Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla proved that there were no demons in the wicket.

"Amla and Du Plessis proved that technique and determination were all that were required to survive in Nagpur. The ball will turn on a spinning wicket," Gavaskar said. (Ashwin is Becoming World's Envy, India's Pride)

India's series win ended South Africa's nine-year Test winning streak overseas. Gavaskar praised the Indian team for bouncing back after the ODI and T20 series defeats.

"Extremely significant this series win. To beat the No. 1 Test team in this manner speaks volumes of this team," said Gavaskar, adding the "long period of domination by any team is now well and truly over."