Honestly, as good a bowler as he is, the idea that Ashwin would have made a big difference on day one is stretching it. He might have improved the situation or he might have just been dealt with by the Australians. Granted the weather has improved recently, and there's perhaps a more neutral preparation of the pitch, but there's been one wicket fall to spin in three matches at The Oval this season.
Like I said earlier I think India just got sucked in by the early morning conditions. I did too. I wore jeans this morning because it was chilly and overcast, by 12pm it was shorts weather and I regretted it.